Ontario's Liberal government will not be rushed into producing a report on deaths from C. difficile and other problems that have undermined public confidence in Niagara-area hospitals, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday.

"I think our responsibility here is to make sure we're providing the best possible care in that community," McGuinty told reporters.

"And if there are challenges, and obviously there are, let's address those."

The government announced Monday it would appoint a supervisor to take control of the Niagara Health System, the largest hospital network in Ontario, after at least 31 deaths from C. difficile were reported at its institutions since the end of May.

The Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats said they would like to hear details on the extent of the problems at the six Niagara hospitals before the Oct. 6 election, but McGuinty said that's unrealistic.

"I think we're acting responsibly in the circumstances, and it would be extraordinary for us to say that you've got to report back before a certain period of time," he told reporters. "Supervisors generally provide some kind of report, and I just don't think we should rush them into doing that because of some electoral deadline.

The opposition parties said the Liberals should have acted sooner to take control of the Niagara Health System, and called the appointment of a supervisor so close to the election campaign a political move that's "too little too late" to be of any real help.

"The premier clearly was asleep at the wheel on this whole issue," charged PC critic Jim Wilson. "There have been numerous deaths, families are very, very worried, and they've lost confidence in their health system."

The New Democrats said people in Niagara want an independent investigation of the C. difficile outbreak and the decisions by the Niagara Health System to close hospitals in Fort Erie and Port Colborne as part of a controversial restructuring program.

"The supervisor I think is a bit of a Hail Mary pass that the government is trying to throw to avoid the wrath of Niagara families," said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. "I think it's really more about the McGuinty Liberals on eve of an election, worried about their own interests rather than the health concerns of the people of Niagara."

The government had been working closely with officials at the Niagara Health System before finally deciding to appoint a provincial supervisor, said McGuinty.

"Well I think there's been a lot of work through the back channels, trying to find out what's happening to provide what [types] of behind-the-scenes support that we might," he said. "It has become apparent to us that both to reassure people in the community, and to come up with a resolution of this matter, that we're going to have to step in."

Health Minister Deb Matthews admitted Monday that Niagara residents have lost confidence in their hospital system. She hasn't actually named the supervisor yet, but said her request will likely be approved during a cabinet meeting Wednesday.

The Niagara Health System, which serves 434,000 residents, includes hospitals in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Welland, Fort Erie, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Port Colborne.