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The Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-07-22, Page 22 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Rural Ontario Matters PC Leader visits Huron -Bruce Submitted On July 6, Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown made his first visit as PC Leader to MPP Lisa Thompson's riding of Huron -Bruce. Brown began the day with a tour of the Bruce Power nuclear plant. Ontario PC MPPs Lisa Thompson (Huron -Bruce), Bill Walker (Bruce -Grey -Owen Sound),Bob Bailey (Sarnia- Lambton), Randy Pettapiece (Perth -Wellington), John Yak- abuski (Renfrew-Nipissing- Pembroke), and Todd Smith (Prince Edward - Hastings) also observed the operation of the facility and discussed the importance of nuclear power to Ontario's energy sector. "Nuclear power is clean, reliable power and is the backbone of our energy system. Nuclear rates are half the cost of wind and solar rates and will play an important part in our plan to reduce energy rates for Ontario's families and busi- nesses," said Brown. Brown's tour of the riding continued as MPP Thomp- son revealed the crumbling conditions of the Kincardine Hospital, a direct result of the Liberal government's decision to renege on its monetary commitment for the hospital's Phase One expansion project in 2012. "I am committed to increas- ing awareness of how broken Liberal promises and neglect are jeopardizing the health care in the Kincardine area," stated Thompson. "I am pleased that our new PC leader Patrick Brown has been able to join me on-site, to see first- hand yet another example of how the Wynne government just isn't in it for rural Ontario:' "It's a shame that this Lib- eral government continues to ignore the needs of the Kin- cardine community and fails to put patients first," expressed Brown. "Ontarians deserve a government that invests in front line health care workers and hospital infrastructure. Instead, the Liberals cut health care spending by $54 -million in the 2015 budget, and have a history of wasting taxpayer dollars on gas plants, highly paid consultants, and failed technology such as eHealth." Following the tour of the hospital, Brown and PC Energy Critic John Yakabuski joined Thompson in a round- table discussion with multi- ple municipal representatives and citizens concerned about the industrial wind turbine projects being constructed in Huron -Bruce. "Ontario's wind turbines are another example of the Liberal government's failed green energy scheme," said Thompson. "Municipalities are being forced to host wind turbine projects that pro- duce over -priced wind power that Ontario doesn't need, and can't afford. The Green Energy Act has been an unmitigated disaster." "The Ontario PC Caucus and I are committed to championing the rights of rural Ontario and ensuring all corners of the province have a voice at Queen's Park," added Brown. K2 Wind Power Project Community Liaison Committee Wednesday, July 22, 2015 6:30 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. K2 Wind Operations Building - 84655 Tower Line Rd, Lucknow Ontario NOG 2H0 Open to the General Public for Viewing About the CLC A Community Liaison Committee ("CLC") has been established as a forum to exchange ideas, share information and provide regular updates regarding construction, installation, use, operation, maintenance and retirement of the K2 Wind Power Project ("the Project"). The 270 megawatt wind Project received its Renewable Energy Approval in July 2013. All meeting materials (minutes, presentations, reports, etc.) will be made available for public review on the Project website at www.K2Wind.ca. The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the Project website at least one week in advance. The CLC meeting is open to the general public for observation. For more information on the CLC please contact the K2 Wind Project: Krista Walkey, Krista.Walkey@stantec.com; Phone (519) 575-4133 For questions or requests for additional information not pertaining to the CLC, please contact the K2 Wind Power Project Team at: E-mail: info@K2Wind.ca Telephone: 519-529-7455 About the Project • K2 Wind Ontario is a partnership between Samsung Renewable Energy, Inc. (Samsung), Pattern Energy Group Inc. (Pattern Energy) and Capital Power LP (Capital Power). • K2 Wind has the capacity to generate 270 megawatts of renewable electricity from 140 Siemens model SWT -2.3 wind turbines. Operations commenced in May 2015. • More information about the Project is available at www.K2wind.ca WJNC CINIT.A.R113 Valerie Gillies/Lucknow Sentinel Several PC MPPs attended the Annual General Meeting of the Huron -Bruce Provincial PC Association where the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Patrick Brown, was a guest speaker. From left: Ken Wiese, President of Huron -Bruce Provincial PC Association; John Yakabuski, MPP Renfrew-Nippising-Penbrook; Todd Smith, MPP Prince Edward -Hastings; Patrick Brown, Leader Ontario PC; Lisa Thompson, MPP Huron -Bruce; Bill Walker, MPP Bruce -Grey -Owen Sound. July 6, 2015. Provincial PC Leader speaks at Annual General Meeting Huron -Bruce PC Riding Association Valerie Gillies Lucknow Sentinel The Annual General Meet- ing (AGM) of the Huron - Bruce Provincial Progressive Conservative Riding Associ- ation met on July 6 at the Lucknow Legion Branch 309. The Huron -Bruce Associa- tion was formed when the province adopted the federal boundaries for jurisdictions, resulting in Huron and Bruce combining to become Huron -Bruce. At that time it was a hard fought race between Helen Johns and Barb Fisher in which Johns won the leadership in 2003. Current Huron -Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson won the riding in Ripley in the spring of 2011. Association president Ken Wiese remarks that since then, Thompson "has risen quickly in stature in the PC caucus': The Huron -Bruce Associa- tion typically holds 3 to 4 events per year and reports to elections Ontario. The Association must adhere to provincial guidelines. Currently there are 16 Board members. As a result of the recent leadership race, in which Patrick Brown became leader of the Provin- cial PC party, membership rose from 750 to 2,300, a sub- stantial increase which Wiese believes indicates that both candidates were active in engaging the community. Wiese reports that there is "very little, if any, animosity in the Association, even though leadership races can bring it out" He adds that the Association is 100 percent behind Brown. Several MPPs were in attendance at the AGM. Thompson's Office provided the relevant information on the positions each holds. John Yakabuski, MPP (Renfrew-Nippissing-Pem- brook). Presently, John is serving as both the Energy Critic and Chief Whip for the Official Opposition. Todd Smith, MPP (Prince Edward -Hastings). Todd has served as the Official Oppo- sition Critic for Small Busi- ness and Red Tape, Citizen- ship and Immigration Critic and currently is Critic for the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games slated to take place in July and August. Bill Walker, MPP Bruce (Bruce -Grey -Owen Sound). Bill is currently the Progres- sive Conservative Critic for Community & Social Ser- vices as well as Long -Term Care & Wellness. Patrick Brown- is the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and was formerly a federal Conservative mem- ber of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the Ontario riding of Barrie Lisa Thompson, MPP (Huron -Bruce). Lisa cur- rently serves as the PC Critic for the Ministry of the Envi- ronment & Climate Change and is a member of the Standing Committee on General Government.