THUNDER BAY -- While they're meeting in the North, Premier Kathleen Wynne says a provincial cabinet meeting Thursday morning won't just be about the region's issues and no commitments will be made.
A majority of the provincial cabinet is in Thunder Bay for the annual Northern cabinet meeting, the first for the Wynne government was in Sudbury last year. Wynne said the meeting, which kicks off Thursday morning at the Valhalla Inn, will be just like any other cabinet meeting and will focus on a number of provincial issues. No commitments on any pressing Northern issues, such as the Nipigon River bridge or conditions in the region's prisons, will come out of it.
"The point of having the meeting here was not to just come here and deal with Northern issues," she said Wednesday afternoon at Lakehead University.
"It was to make the point that the North is a critical part of the province and it's critical that the government of Ontario be seen and be active in the North."
Wynne said provincial ministers were meeting with people on a number of issues Wednesday and Thursday to listen to concerns and have conversations that will lead to policy.
Facing numerous questions about the Nipigon River bridge during the lone 10-minute media availability Wynne will have during her visit to the region, the Premier said she wanted to visit the bridge herself but prior commitments didn't allow it. Instead, she said it was appropriate to have Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle and Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca take a look and give her a report.
"If I could make a difference by going to there today I would do that," she said.
Wynne said it was more important that MTO staff were on scene to figure out what happened, how to fix it and make sure it never happens again.
"We don't know what caused this. Before we start assigning blame we need to understand what happened," she said.
While there are standards in place, Wynne said there's always room for improvement.
On the state of the region's prisons, including the Thunder Bay District Jail that saw a riot and a corrections officer held hostage last month, Wynne said Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Yasir Naqvi toured the facility to start having conversations with frontline staff.
"I know that institution needs improvement," she said.
"It's part of a system that needs improvement."
