July 16, 2013
Ontario

Wynne feels anti-wind heat

Protesters opposed to wind turbines dogged the premier’s by election campaign visit Monday | By Brent Boles, The London Free Press | Monday, July 15, 2013 | www.lfpress.com

Liberals in London West rallied around their byelection candidate Monday night, as anti-wind protesters shouted only feet away.

Supporters of Ken Coran gathered outside his campaign office as Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne swung by to boost his bid to keep the seat in Liberal hands.

As Liberals chanted, “yes, we Ken Coran,” anti-wind turbine activists armed with signs and a megaphone made shouted over the rally.

The protesters denounced wind turbines – which have been pushed by the Liberal government, as part of its green energy plan – for a variety of reasons, including health concerns, economics and because many people don’t like the behemoths built near where they live.

“I won’t escape them,” said anti-wind activist Esther Wrightman, of the growing number of turbines near her home in Kerwood.

It wasn’t Wrightman’s first time protesting with Wynne in town.

“Every time it’s the same . . . empty gestures,” said Wrightman.

The explosive growth in the number of industrial wind turbines in Ontario, mainly built in rural areas, has been widely seen as an issue that cost the governing Liberals many rural seats – and, ultimately, their majority government – in the last election in 2011.

Wynne has called five byelections for Aug. 1 to replace seats left vacant by former premier Dalton McGuinty and four former cabinet mininsters, including ex-energy minister Chris Bentley who held London West for nine years.