TORONTO - Ontario's Conservatives have moved a motion to cut off funding to Ornge if the Liberal government won't agree to a select committee to look into the scandal at the air ambulance service.

Health Minister Deb Matthew accuses the Tories of playing politics with people's lives by threatening to cut funding to air ambulances.

But Conservative Frank Klees says the opposition parties have no other option to force the Liberals to allow a select committee into Ornge, which is also the target of an provincial police investigation.

Klees says he wants people to understand they are using the threat of defunding Ornge to defend the air ambulance service, its pilots and paramedics.

He says it's Matthews who's threatening to cut off funding rather than agree to a select committee.

The New Democrats aren't saying if they'll support the Tory motion and force the minority government to stop funding Ornge.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says the Liberals should do the right thing and agree to the select committee.

The Tory amendment is not expected to come up for a vote at committee until Monday.