Progressive Conservative Leader Danny Williams fended off questions about accountability on the first official day of the Newfoundland and Labrador election campaign.
Williams, who has served as premier since 2003, asked Lt.-Gov. Ed Roberts to dissolve the 48-seat house of assembly Monday.
Shortly thereafter, he was pressed by reporters about a damaging report released last week from the province's auditor general.
John Noseworthy's report implicated dozens of politicians -- from all three parties -- of inappropriately spending public funds.
The report alleges $2.2 million in public funds was spent on alcohol and ineligible donations dating as far back as 1989.
"People have a right to be upset,'' said Williams. "When you look at the list and some of the things, strangely enough, it's sometimes the little things that aggravate people the most.
"I feel some of them feel that they have been betrayed by some politicians. I've said before though, I don't think all politicians should be tainted by this.''
Williams, who wasn't named in the report, said it was time to move on. He said his overhaul of the legislature's spending practices can give voters confidence that action is being taken.
"The big thing that I can feel vindicated about is that I cleaned it up,'' he said.
Williams will unveil his campaign platform later today in his home riding of Humber West in Corner Brook.
Williams' popularity
Williams and his party are so popular that the only point of debate seems to be about how large of a margin their victory will be.
"It will really just be kind of a celebration of the premier and his leadership,'' Stephen Tomblin, a political science professor at Memorial University in St. John's, told The Canadian Press.
Tomblin said a sweep for the Conservatives is even a possibility on the Oct. 9 election date. The last time a sweep occurred in Canada was 1987 when Liberal premier Frank McKenna took all 58 seats in the New Brunswick legislature.
Williams' party already holds 34 of Newfoundland's 48 seats. The Liberals have 11 seats, the New Democrats one and there are two vacant seats.
Williams told a crowd of his supporters Monday he wants to see his team continue the plan they put in place four years ago.
"The state that the Liberal Party left behind after 14 years of rule was dismal, severe and frankly quite shameful," he said.
"In the 2003 General election our team introduced an eight year blueprint for prosperity, a plan for the social and economic development of Newfoundland and Labrador," he said. "Today our plan is well underway and we want to continue to build upon it."
Williams is largely credited with ushering in a wave of big oil deals for the province.
His relationship with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, which remains extremely icy, should also come up in the election.
Williams has continued to pressure the federal government on Atlantic Accord promises that he says have gone unfulfilled.
The federal budget, released last March, contained changes to the federal equalization program that force Newfoundland and Nova Scotia to choose between agreements that protect offshore resource revenues and an equalization formula that includes a monetary cap.
Ottawa has insisted it hasn't broken any promises because the provinces are free to opt out of the new formula and keep their offshore deals.
"We've had a lot of rivalries and political conflicts between us and the government of Ottawa, but this, I think, is the most extreme,'' former federal cabinet minister John Crosbie told CP.
Opposition leaders
Liberal Leader Gerry Reid, who began his campaign Sunday, is focusing his campaign on rural issues such as out-migration and the fisheries.
With a population of 505,000, Newfoundland has lost 7,000 people since 2001. The province is currently battling a 14 per cent unemployment rate and a debt of $11.5 billion -- the highest in the country per capita.
The fisheries, which once served as the province's flagship industry, have never fully recovered from a federal cod moratorium established 15 years ago.
Reid is promising to cut taxes, create jobs and increase government accountability.
The NDP say they are trying to win so that they can keep Williams honest.
"Let's not deify him," NDP Leader Lorraine Michael told CP.
Michael will launch her campaign later Monday in her home riding of Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi in St. John's.
With files from The Canadian Press
