THUNDER BAY -- Kathleen Wynne thinks Northern Ontario should have an opportunity to look at legislation and policy that has an impact on the region and make recommendations to improve it.
It’s the central function of a Northern Ontario cabinet committee the Liberal leadership hopeful intends to form if she’s victorious in Toronto next month when the part chooses a successor to outgoing Premier Dalton McGuinty.
“There are policies and practices across government that have an impact on different regions of the province in different ways. I think having a cabinet committee that would apply that Northern lens to decisions that we were proposing, policies that we were proposing, I think would be very healthy,” Wynne said late last week as she prepared for the second of five leadership debates.
The committee would bring together representatives of several ministries and MPPs from different parts of the province.
“I think it would be very helpful. Having the cabinet meeting in the North is a signal that my government would be very aware and would stay connected to communities in the North.”
The 59-year-old Wynne, who as education minister helped usher full-day kindergarten into Ontario schools, listed job creation and increased investment in roads and bridges among her top priorities for the North.
Without the latter, it will be all but impossible for the province to continue its implementation of the Northern Ontario Growth Plan.
Without the jobs, the economy would suffer.
“I want to make sure we create the partnerships and the training opportunities that allow young people to qualify for the jobs and let young people stay in the North if they choose to do that,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of people say to me there are kids who want to stay in the North, but they need to have the opportunities.”
Of course the biggest opportunity in play could be the Ring of Fire.
Wynne recognized its importance and the opportunity it presents for all of Northern Ontario. It means getting all sides working together with First Nations to ensure its development.
“That means everybody has to benefit. There have to be direct benefits, obviously, that flow to people who have jobs and are engaged, but there are indirect benefits too, to municipalities that have economic development opportunities and First Nations communities where young people … need the opportunity to get trained and be a direct part of the industry or the accompanying industries around the Ring of Fire.”
The latter fits in with her plan to expand Ontario’s role in Aboriginal education.
The Richmond Hill, Ont. native was first elected in 2003 in the Don Valley West riding, and has served as the minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Municipal Affairs and Housing and Transportation, in addition to the Education portfolio.
