NOMA Debate Going Ahead Without PC Leader

It was the Liberals in the last election, now its the PC's.

Tory leader Tim Hudak will not be joining the northern leaders election debate in Thunder Bay next week because of scheduling conflicts.

Debate organizer Iain Angus of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association says the debate will go ahead as planned as it did when then Premier Dalton McGuinty failed to show for the 2011 debate.

Both NDP leader Andrea Horwath and Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne are both confirmed for next Monday's event.

PC To Make Ontario First Choice of Destination For Immigrants

PC Leader Tim Hudak wants immigrants to Canada to make Ontario their new home.

Hudak says he'll start by working to eliminate the red tape that restricts immigrant professionals from immediately working in their fields.

Hudak also wants to make it easier for immigrants now studying in Ontario to stay in the province and find jobs in their fields.

NDP Focus on Health Care

New Democrats are promising to cut wait times in hospital emergency rooms in half.

Leader Andrea Horwath says her plan will include the hiring of 250 new nurse practitioners, opening 50 new 24-hour family health clinics and creating 14-hundred more long term care beds.

Horwath is also pledging to implement a five-day home care guarantee.

Liberals Promising To Strengthen Agricultural Industry

A commitment from the Liberals to protect the province's farmland.

Premier Kathleen Wynne is proposing a Farms Forever plan that would ensure farmland isn't taken over for other development.

The Liberals are also promising $400-million over the next decade to help food processing factories and farmers acquire new equipment.

Leaders Wednesday

On the election campaign today, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is in Brampton and Toronto.

Premier Kathleen Wynne's stops include a visit to the Toyota Plant in Cambridge and a meeting with the Chinese community in Thornhill.

PC leader Tim Hudak visits Coburg and Peterborough.

County Looking To Address Blasting Concerns

Koochiching County is looking at changes to a zoning ordinance to deal with residents complaints about blasting.


Several residents claim the work by a company east of Rainer has led to damages to their homes and well being.

Environmental Services manager Dale Olson says changes in wording may give the County more control.

Lawyer for Bowman Construction Steve Nelson says the County may be wasting its time and energy and should direct residents to pursue their complaints through the courts.

Nelson adds the company is following the rules with its blasts.


The proposed changes to the zoning ordinance will get a legal review before heading to the County's planning commission for public input.

No Fires In Rainy River District Yet

The forest fire situation in the Rainy River district remains quiet.

No fires have been reported yet in 2014.

There was activity elsewhere in northwestern Ontario with nine new blazes reported during the long weekend, all human-caused.

Water Levels Up

Water levels are up at area water.

The International Joint Commission says Rainy Lake has risen about 30 centimetres over the past week, putting its well over the normal levels for this time of year.

The higher level is partly due to the opening of dams at Namakan Lake which are letting water through at maximum levels.

Meantime, Rainy River has risen over 3 metres since April.

Flood Warning In Dryden

CKDR photo

A flood warning remains in effect in the Dryden area.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says the warning will stay in place until Friday.

Flooding has already impacted some roads including a section of Highway 105 to Red Lake.

Missing Youth

OPP are seeking the public's help in locating a missing Fort Frances teenager.

Police says 15-year-old Mariah Wilson was last seen on Armit Avenue Sunday morning.

The First Nations teen is described as being 5'1" and 101 lbs with a thin build.

She was last seen wearing a grey sweater, green shoes and black pants.