Wynne heads to northern Ontario for week of announcements

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will be taking her chequebook asshe embarks on a northern tour today.

Wynne's week-long visit will take her to schools, hospitals,businesses and First Nations from North Bay to Sioux Lookout.

She'll also be making stops in Sudbury, Dryden, Kenora, FortFrances, Kirkland Lake and nearly a dozen other communities.

Wynne is expected to announce a series of investments relating toinfrastructure, health care and other measures.

The visit comes amid growing political unrest in the region,including the relaunch of the separatist Northern Ontario Party.

The party was registered with Elections Ontario last week, andsays its first goal is to elect 11 candidates to the legislature in2018.

The premier also faces a revived movement underway in Kenora tohave that city join Manitoba after a local paper mill announced itwas closing because of Ontario's high electricity rates.