Northernlife.ca to livestream Ontario leaders debate on northern issues

Northern Life will livestream the Northern leaders debate today beginning at noon from Thunder Bay.

The leaders of two of the three major parties in Ontario will take part – Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak won't be there, citing a scheduling conflict. Instead, he will be campaigning in southern Ontario.

The debate begins around 12:15 p.m. today, and will see the two leaders focus on northern issues. The Liberals unveiled their platform Saturday, which included a $1-billion commitment to fund infrastructure needed to bring ore out of the remote Ring of Fire chromite find. Wynne's government is promising the money regardless of whether the federal government agrees to match the funding.

The NDP platform, released last week, also commits to developing the Ring of Fire, although no dollar amount is mentioned in details released to the media. It also includes a commitment to widen 30 kilometres of highway in Northern Ontario every year.

Horwath will end her day in Sudbury at a rally with Sudbury candidate Joe Cimino and Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas at NDP headquarters on Paris Street. Celia Ross, who's running for the NDP in Sault Ste. Marie, will also be on hand. Northern Life will be livestreaming Horwath's news conference at about 6:15 this evening.