The Education Centre was the latest stop on the Premier’s tour of post-secondary schools on Wednesday, where Kathleen Wynne took part in a question and answer with approximately 60 students from Nipissing and Canadore.

A variety of issues were covered including electricity rates, health care funding, education legislation and the future of transportation.

Wynne says the government is working on lowering electricity prices.

She points out some people are seeing a 20 per cent reduction on their bills, but that’s not everyone so more needs to be done.

Wynne says they will have a proposal for more changes before the budget.

She says it’s unacceptable that people have to choose between paying their hydro bill and paying their rent.

Wynne says the government has cleaned up the electricity grid but people are paying too much.

Another big issue is whether the north is being ignored.

Wynne says she has always taken an interest in Northern Ontario from her time as cabinet minister and now as Premier, and she was very specific about the rise of the Northern Ontario Party.

She says the separation of the north from the south would be bad for both regions.

The Premier says she would never support separation and will always increase the understanding between the north and the south.

Wynne opened the session by talking about a government pledge to provide free tuition for student from low income families.

The president of the Nipissing student union Jordan Andrews says this was a productive exercise for the students as their voices were heard on a wide range of issues.

Premier Wynne meets with CAS workers

Before the premier took part in a student forum Wednesday at the Harris Learning Library she stopped to talk to locked out workers at the local Children’s Aid Society.

They were looking for help to end the 5 week labour stoppage.

Local CUPE rep Debbie Hill asked the premier to get involved so the two sides can start negotiating again at the bargaining table.

Wynne for her part told Hill it’s important for both sides to get back to the negotiating table because that’s where a deal is going to be found.

Meantime, there was also a small delegation from the Northern Ontario Party on hand.

Leader Trevor Holliday says they’ve been formed because the major parties aren’t paying attention to the needs of Northern Ontarians.

He says the north is getting shafted because of hydro prices and the south needs to pay attention to the needs of the north.

 

Next year, Ontario voters will be going to the polls and in Nipissing and Vic Fedeli will be seeking a 3rd consecutive term as MPP.

As for the Liberals, they will be looking to win here for the first time since Monique Smith won her 2nd straight term in 2007.

Country 600 CKAT News, in an interview with the Premier, wanted to know what is it going to take to paint Nipissing red next year.

Kathleen Wynne says Ontario’s leading the country in economic growth and they are going to have to show the benefits.

As well, she says they will have to demonstrate to people what they are doing on the pocketbook issues like hydro rates.

Wynne says their message will be the same province wide.

She says they’ll need to show the investments they’ve made and are making are having an impact on people.