Premier confronted by wind turbine protesters in Huron County

Wind activists make noise at Wynne event CTV London: The premier’s visit to Huron County was supposed to be about agriculture, but some had other ideas. Scott Miller reports

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s visit to Huron County on Tuesday to talk about agriculture was hijacked by anti-wind turbine demonstrators.

It was a rude welcome for Wynne in Clinton, Ont. as demonstrators shouted for her to ‘Go home,’ saying they want her to know the area is not a willing host of wind turbines.

Although the premier's first visit to Huron County since taking over as premier was supposed to be about growing agriculture, it turned out to be largely about wind turbines and the opposition to the impending arrival of 1,000 more to the shores of Lake Huron.

Gerry Ryan, a member of Wind Concerns Ontario says the turbines are an expensive mistake that are driving up the price of electricity at a time when the power isn’t needed.

Bowing to pressure, Wynne sat down with three anti-wind activists, the first such face to face since she became premier. However, she didn't promise to end Ontario's green energy experiment.

Activist Dave Griffiths says he keeps hearing people saying this is a new government, but when it came to wind turbines “It was avoided, there was no concrete answer."

Wynne didn't speak to the media while in Clinton and evaded protestors as she left, but at a stop in Lucan earlier in the day, Wynne reiterated the government's position.

“There needs to be a better up-front process with communities and, so, that's what the Minister of Energy is working on.  We also need green, renewable energy. We need more conservation, our energy portfolio has to be diversified, so he'll be coming forward with a plan in the near future."

But unless the plan involves the end of wind turbines in Ontario, Wynne can expect protests like the one in Clinton to follow her all summer.