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Lakeshore Advance, 2013-01-23, Page 3Wednesday, January 23, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 3 Whirl -Wynne bus tour stops in Grand Bend Lynda Hlilman-Rapley Lakeshore Advance She talked to the mayor, she spoke with the Chamber president and with the ward one councilor, but it was not until Liberal contender Kath- leen Wynne sat at Tin) I lor- ton's with the Grand Bend school students did she get down to the nitty gritty. "What are your concerns?" she asked Abby Maguire, gr5 with her sister Emma a lylish Betts, both in 06 four. They looked at her with some confusion and she asked again, "What bugs you'?" Right away the kids answered, "bullies" and with that their lengthy chat began. 'Ihe kids explained to Wynne they worried about the Toss of extra- curricular activities and thought maybe it would be cool to have a first woman premier, "since there has been a lot of boys so far:' Wynne stopped by Grand Bend Saturday on her whirl- wind tour for the liberal Leadership race In Ontario. She said the entire campaign has been whirlwind, but she has had the opportunity to meet a lot of people. The three-day bus tour sent the former education minis- ter across some 20 communi- ties including Stratford, Lon- don, Strathroy, Sarnia, Grand Bend and Exeter - to drum up support among Liberals for next weekend's party conven- tion. 'Today I heard about education and environment; I heard about wind turbines," said Wynne. "So there are issues that we need to con- front. We need to talk to peo- ple, and have better commu- nity process. "But 1 also hear that people are happy with some of the big things we've done," she added talking about Grand Bend's Community health Centre. "A success story," she said, Wynne spent more than an hour in the Bend, a stop that %vas not originally on the ros- ter. She was Joined by John Wilkinson (former Minister of the Environment) and Glen Murray, who dropped out of the rare to throw his support behind Wynne. Grand Bend learned only Saturday that Wynne would stop by Grand Bend before stopping in Exeter. Wynne is no ordinary can- didate. She did not dance around issues Saturday, nor did she make excuses for this party's issues. She knows the rural chal- lenges are deep, and if she didn't, there would be some- one close by to remind her. Lambton Shores mayor Bill Weber, ward one councilor Mayor Bill Weber talks to Kathleen Wynne about the havoc the Green Energy Act has played with municipal government. Dave Maguire and Chamber president Glen Baillie as well as members of Grand Bend's Aquafest were on hand to discuss issues this municipality was facing and Liberal supporters stopped by to say hello or chat about their concerns. One lady who came into Grand Bend's Tines for a quiet lunch was not impressed with the imposition of the large crowd, but stuck around to hear what Wynne and her supporters were saying. 'Ihe campaign to choosy it successor to Premier Dalton McGulnty is expected to split into two camps in the run-up to the leadership convention, as the candi- dates step up their efforts to woo delegates and more clearly articulate how they would govern. The cam- paign is shaping up as a two- way race between Sandra Pupatello, the front-runner, and Kathleen Wynne, after party members elected del- egates this weekend. Gerard Kennedy ranked in third place. Pupatello has been courting her rivals' support- ers since the start of the leadership race. She will kick that into high gear this week as she deploys volunteers to tweet with other candidates' delegates in it hid to per- suade them to support her in the event their first choice is eliminated. Ilarinder 'I;tkhar took a close fourth to Kennedy in percentage of candidates. "1'm hearing many of the things that I've heard throughout the campaign," said Wynne, "People don't want an election. They like that i've been saying from the beginning, that we need to work with the opposition and that's been my position. I'm running to govern." Liberal Kathleen Wynne talks to Grand Bend resident Joe Wooden on Saturday. Kathleen Wynne listens to Abby Maguire, Ayllsh Betts and Emma Maguire during her stop in Grand Bend on Saturday. Photos by Lynda Hillman-Rapley Lakeshore Advance Liberal Kathleen Wynne (left) stopped by Grand Bend on her tour Saturday. Here she chats with John Wilkinson, former MPP Jennifer Mossop, Lambton Shores councilor Dave Maguire, Grand Bend Chamber president Glen Baillie and Lambton Shores mayor Bill Weber. J'EOME' TM RETIRE -AT- SERVICES Providing Quality Home Care Services to our Rural Communities Locally Owned and Operated! Would you like to remain in your own home because it is private, it feels safe and it is comfortable? We are there. Whether you require extra care in a hospital or in a Long Term Care facility. We are there. 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