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Wynne agrees to another NDP demand

TORONTO - Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is agreeing to one of the NDP's three post-budget demands, rejecting another and offering a compromise on the third as she hopes to secure a deal to avoid a spring election. Wynne says the government will introduce legislation this fall to create the position of a Financial Accountability Officer to provide analysis and advice on the province's finances and the costs of proposed spending initiatives. The premier released a statement this morning saying the government would also introduce new accountability measures across the health care system, but stopped short of agreeing to the New Democrats' demand to give the ombudsman oversight of hospitals. However, Wynne said the Liberals intend to stick to their plan to allow motorists without passengers to pay a toll to drive in car pool lanes, something the NDP condemned as “Lexus lanes” and demanded be dropped from the budget. The statement notes there will be legislation on creating the so-called high-occupancy-toll, or HOT lanes, so the NDP and Progressive Conservatives would have a chance to outvote the minority Liberals and kill the idea. Wynne also said she wants to meet with NDP Leader Andrea Horwath next week so they can work together to make sure the budget passes before the legislature breaks for the summer in early June. (The Canadian Press)

London man charged with child porn

On Tuesday, May 14th 2013 the London Police Cyber Crime Unit began an investigation which indicated an Ellsworth Avenue address may contain child pornography. As a result of this investigation, there was evidence obtained, 60-year-old James O’Dell was charged with the following Criminal Code offences; • Possession of child pornography, contrary to section 163.1(4) • Access child pornography, contrary to section 163.1(4.1)

Overnight drama in St.George a false alarm

Brant County Provincial Police sent in their specialists when they thought they were dealing with a “confinement” incident early this morning (Fri) in the village of St. George. Police received a call at around twelve-twenty this morning about a person who was supposedly being held against his will. The Tactical Rescue Unit was called in... So was the Emergency Response Team, a Canine Unit, Crisis Negotiators and the Criminal Investigation Unit. The intersection of Main and Beverly Streets was sealed off for four hours as police investigated the report, which turned out to be false. Police report no one was being held against their will and they have arrested a 15 year old youth.

Sobeski angered over closed-door meeting

By Brian Donlevy, Woodstock Mayor Pat Sobeski is asking for an investigation to determine whether Oxford County Council violated the provincial Municipal Act by holding a closed door meeting around an agreement reached with Oxford Gardens that cost the county $160,000. Under the Municipal Act, municipal governments are limited to the reasons they can go behind closed doors. The reasons include discussions of items subject to client solicitor privilege and matters that are or could be subject to litigation. Councils must provide a basic outline as to why they are going into closed session, for example they will say they are going into closes session to deal with a matter that concerns an indentifiable individual. Sobeski wants a meeting investigator to look at whether proper reasons were given for going into closed session and whether the timing of the release of information was appropriate. Oxford Gardens had sought relief from the County for development fees, a request that was denied. The County then struck a deal with Oxford Gardens reimbursing them for problems that emerged around the sale. The meeting investigator is independent of council and will report back to them. Sobeski was not available for comment because he is currently on a tour of Japan with three other local mayors.

ONA seeks moratorium on r-n cuts

The Ontario Nurses Association is calling for a moratorium on cuts to registered nursing positions in the province. The union says Ontario has the second-lowest RN-to-population ratio in the country: 668 RNs per 100,000 residents, compared to an average of 785 RNs to 100,000 residents in other provinces and territories. It says the Ontario health system employed 844 fewer RNs in 2012 than it did in 2011. The ONA says cuts in RNs are happening in Ontario even though the Liberals promised to fix the problem when they took office 2003. A statement from the union says nurses are the professionals who provide most of the front-line care to patients in Ontario, and that scientific research studies have demonstrated there are fewer deaths and complications when more RNs are providing direct patient care. Last week, the union released new research that shows understaffing is causing more work-related injuries and illness. The union says the researh shows RNs are the most injured workers in Ontario - facing more dangerous workplace conditions than even several groups of construction and manufacturing workers.