. . . at Queen's Park, across Ontario and elsewhere.

* With four more ServiceOntario kiosks set to close, OPSEU issued a warning Wednesday this could lead to more privacy and security breaches like the one earlier this year, which occurred at a privately-run kiosk.

"The government has already had to shut down privately-operated kiosks because of a security breach. Now McGuinty wants to hand the keys to the entire system to a company they can't control or manage, no matter what safeguards they say they can put in place," said OPSEU President Warren "Smokey" Thomas said.

* The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is notifying parents that a Grade 9 student at a Mississauga High school hacked into its computer network last spring. The student was able to access information about staff and other students but not to make any changes in the data.

* Niagara Escarpment Commission officials have all but ruled out the installation of wind turbines within the escarpment area. The NEC has the final say – even over the province – on whether to approve or reject wind farms on the escarpment.

* Brockville Mayor David Henderson is recovering in an Ottawa hospital after emergency surgery last Friday for a cranial aneurysm.

* To protest the laying off of 19 employment standards officers on Sept. 20, Ministry of Labour staff will protest outside the Ministry of Labour offices on Thursday morning in London. The layoffs came only three days after Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey announced 18 additional officers were to be hired.

* McMaster University has suddenly found itself with a problem that others can only envy. The university is sitting on a $1.1 million surplus left over from the construction of its student centre. Much of the money was raised through a $15 annual levy that was imposed on students beginning in 1987.

* Ottawa councillors next week will consider a committee recommendation that they give their blessing in principle for a full-fledged casino in the city. Mayor Jim Watson appears to be on board, at least for now. “We have an option to say no down the road,” he said.

Quote of the Day

"Well it wasn't an Ontario Northland bus, we know that."

- New Democrat Paul Miller in Question Period on the bus, under which the opposition claims Premier Dalton McGuinty has thrown Minister of Energy Chris Bentley.

Tweet of the Day

@Dalton_McGuinty: Bringing our agri-food & clean-tech businesses to China, our 2nd-largest trading partner. Mission starts Jan. 20

- In an apparent first, Premier Dalton McGuinty announced his travel plans via Twitter, Facebook and Weibo, China’s micro-blogging site. He will be joined by Minister of Economic Development and Innovation Brad Duguid and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Michael Chan.

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