Teacher Pay-Freeze Sought

The Ontario government wants to hold the line on teacher's salaries.

A Liberal party circular indicates provincial negotiators will seek a two-year wage freeze and an end to an expensive sick-day perk in their upcoming talks with teachers unions.

Four-year contracts for the province's 115-thousand teachers end in August.

Cooperation on Invasive Species Controls Sought

Koochiching County is worried Minnesota and Ontario aren't working closer enough to protect the area's border waters from invasive species.

Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources will conduct boat inspections on its side of the Rainy Lake and Rainy River this year.

Koochiching County Commissioner Wade Paveleck says it should be a joint effort with Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources.

Paveleck says agencies on both sides of the border have worked together on other initiatives, but nothing related to invasive species.

Hunting Draws Now Done On-line

The Ministry of Natural Resources is making big game draws for Deer, Elk, and Moose available online.

Spokesperson John Cooper says hunters who feel uncomfortable using the Internet can apply through a telephone hot line or in person at Service Ontario locations.

Cooper says the MNR is no longer accepting applications through the mail.

Official Election Results Now Released

Officials results from last October's provincial election have finally been released.

There's no change to the numbers in Kenora-Rainy River won by the NDP's Sarah Campbell.

Poll-by-poll results do show her greatest support was from the Rainy River district, Dryden, Sioux Lookout and remote First Nations communities.

Robocall Allegations in Provincial Election

Some of the alleged dirty tricks featuring automated calling machines used in the federal election are said to have surfaced in the campaign for last October's provincial election.

 The Ontario Liberals, who were reduced to a minority government, say they were targeted in several ridings with so-called robocalls to voters.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said his party had not heard any complaints targeting Tory candidates, nor did they engage in any of the dirty tricks.

Elections Ontario refuses to say if there were any complaints filed about dirty tricks during the campaign.

Premier Visit

Premier Dalton McGuinty comes to northwestern Ontario today.

He's in Thunder Bay where he'll tour the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute and visit the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.