The Opposition accused Ontario's Liberal government Wednesday of coddling criminals while failing to help victims of violent crime.

Cancelling premium cable TV in Ontario jails is a start, said Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, who then asked why inmates still have access to training in yoga and creative writing.

The opposition leader raised the case of Kellie Smith, a Toronto woman whose son was murdered in 2009, saying she had to choose between paying the rent or paying for her son's funeral.

"[Smith] applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for help over a year ago and is still waiting for an answer," Hudak told the legislature. "But according to FOI requests received by the Ontario PC caucus, somehow, premier, you found money to pay for prisoners to take Freeing the Human Spirit yoga classes developed by a Zen master."

Attorney General Chris Bentley said he couldn't comment on specific cases — Hudak raised several others as well — but insisted the Liberal government stands behind victims of crime and their families.

"We're investing twice as much in victims and victims-related services as that side of the House ever did," said Bentley.

"We've invested almost three quarters of a billion dollars in these services and constantly look for better."

Hudak wasn't buying the government's arguments.

"You had no hesitation in paying for enhanced cable packages for prisoners, for paying for Freeing the Human Spirit yoga classes for prisoners or for paying for cathartic creative writing classes for prisoners," he said. "It shows how deeply out of touch you've become that you put the criminals ahead of victims of crime like Kellie."

The Liberal government moved Tuesday to cancel premium cable TV packages at 20 of the 32 provincial correctional institutions after the Tories were given copies of the actual bills but before the Opposition could use the information.

Outside the legislature, Correctional Services Minister Jim Bradley said the programs Hudak was complaining about, such as yoga classes and writing lessons, were mostly done by volunteers such as the John Howard Society or church groups.

"These programs have been available for years," said Bradley. "They're delivered by volunteers at no cost to the taxpayers of the province."

The Tories said they were told there were costs associated with delivering the programs in correctional institutions when they received their freedom of information requests, but that a breakdown of those costs was not available.

Hudak also dismissed suggestions it was the Tories who first put premium cable services in jails, saying it was the Liberals who bought high-definition televisions for the institutions.

"I've got a problem with criminals getting enhanced cable packages that many families can't afford, with Zen yoga classes while moms that have had their kids murdered can't get access to the compensation fund simply because they didn't see the violent crime," said Hudak. "I mean, are you kidding me? How warped have the priorities become that these are what the government chooses, to support prisoners while moms go without any kind of help?"

The New Democrats said everyone agrees prisoners should not have premium cable channels, but said the real problem is the previous Conservative government slashed all programs for inmates.

"Clearly television is being used to babysit inmates in the same way busy parents use television to babysit their kids, and that's wrong," said NDP justice critic Peter Kormos. "The reality is our provincial institutions, our reformatories, were gutted of their programs during the Harris-Eves' years."

The inmates in Ontario's 32 correctional facilities serve sentences of less than two years, which means none are convicted murderers.