<h4>Headlines</h4>
There are just two days left before Ontarians go to the polls, and yesterday <a href="http://www.lfpress.com/2014/06/09/southwestern-ontario-turns-liberal-ndp-battleground" target="blank">the battleground was southwest Ontario as the Liberals and NDP battle for seats</a>. Premier Kathleen Wynne continued her message of warning NDP voters not to inadvertently put the Tories in power, while NDP leader Andrea Horwath fought back with a little help from her friends, including an annoyed Ed Broadbent who told the Liberals to leave him out of it.
With the fate of the province hanging in the balance, spare a moment for the women of the world who have names that sound like Wynnes: for example, <a href="http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4568030-it-was-a-wynne-winn-situation-in-cambridge/" target="blank">Kathleen Winn of Cambridge, who met the Premier yesterday</a> and is probably twitching everytime she turns on the radio these days.
This is your regular reminder that no matter who wins this election, the next government has to negotiate with the teachers unions and other large public sector unions later this year—<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/ontario-teachers-will-receive-three-quarters-of-pay-in-case-of-strike/article19080086/#dashboard/follows/" target="blank">and the teachers are already preparing for a strike</a>.
Federal Finance Minister Joe Oliver warns that the national economy is <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/canadian-economy-held-back-by-ontario-quebec-oliver-warns/article19072507/#dashboard/follows/" target="blank">being held back by Ontario and Quebec</a>, saying the country can't reach its growth potential if its two largest provinces are lagging behind. Oliver also said yesterday he expects a <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/2014/06/09/finance-minister-joe-oliver-says-new-energy-markets-crucial-for-canadas-economy/" target="blank">joint securities regulator to be up and running by next year</a>.
The Scarborough subway favoured by all three official political parties is tentatively moving forward with the beginnings of an environmental assessment, but under the <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/shift-in-approach-for-ttc-subway-extension/article19086015/#dashboard/follows/" target="blank">aegis of Toronto's planning department and not the Toronto Transit Commission itself</a>. It's just one of many, many steps the City of Toronto will have to take long before shovels get in the ground—and almost all of which will happen after this fall's municipal elections.
Unsurprisingly, anti-poverty activists in Ontario say a Progressive Conservative victory and <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario_election/2014/06/10/poverty_in_ontario_would_grow_under_hudak_activists_predict.html" target="blank">a Premier Tim Hudak would mean more poverty in Ontario</a>.
In Windsor, the first major tenders from the federal government are going out for <a href="http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2014/06/09/first-major-tenders-issued-by-canadian-government-to-build-dric-bridge/" target="blank">the new Detroit River International Crossing bridge</a>. The project is still waiting for Washington to pony up for a customs plaza on their side of the border.
While regional conservation authorities have been targeted in the past by the Tories, a new study shows Toronto's urban tree canopy is worth $7 billion in total, and <a href="http://business.financialpost.com/2014/06/09/torontos-urban-forest-worth-7-billion-or-700-a-tree/" target="blank">that each tree generates about $125 in annual savings for the average household</a>.
And if you're wishing there was a "none of the above" option on the ballot Thursday: <a href="http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4568024-declined-ballots-the-case-for-none-of-the-above-on-june-12/" target="blank">you're in luck, there is</a>.
In the opinion pages: The Toronto Star's Martin Regg Cohn says Wynne needs to peel off soft NDP voters to win, <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario_election/2014/06/09/kathleen_wynnes_winning_strategy_to_win_over_ndpers_cohn.html" target="blank">even if it's not a great look for her</a>. Royson James says Toronto isn't being helped by <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/06/10/more_plans_yield_more_problems_for_citys_transit_hopes_james.html#" target="blank">an abundance of transit plans</a>. Matti Siemiatycki explains why <a href="http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/06/09/why_do_infrastructure_projects_always_go_over_budget.html" target="blank">large construction projects always go over budget</a>. The Toronto Sun's Christina Blizzard <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/09/tim-talks-family-and-politics" target="blank">chats with Hudak about life and Space Invaders</a>. The National Post's Scott Stinson <a href="http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/06/09/scott-stinson-kathleen-wynne-speaks-on-important-issues-with-a-dose-of-scare-tactics/" target="blank">details the new Liberal scare tactics</a>. Andrew Coyne says we <a href="http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/06/09/andrew-coyne-betting-the-farm-on-swing-votes/" target="blank">get underwhelming elections because of our first-past-the-post system</a>. In the Globe and Mail, Jessica Prince and Grant Bishop say a principled party would <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/a-principled-ontario-premier-would-end-funding-for-catholic-schools/article19071121/#dashboard/follows/" target="blank">end funding for Catholic schools. (Hello, Greens!)</a> Adam Radwanski says both <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/pcs-feel-an-upswing-in-optimism-following-debate/article19087193/#dashboard/follows/" target="blank">Liberals and Tories think they're in line for a minority government</a>. The Ottawa Citizen's David Reevely says <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/reevely-if-you-invoke-ed-broadbent-youd-better-know-what-youre-doing" target="blank">it's unwise to invoke Ed Broadbent</a> unless you know what you're doing. The Windsor Star's Chris Vander Doelen <a href="http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2014/06/09/elections-last-gasp/" target="blank">hopes for the election to just end already</a>. In the Guelph Mercury, Livio Di Matteo says <a href="http://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-story/4567690-ontario-must-follow-quebec-and-implement-expenditure-restraint/" target="blank">Ontario needs to follow Quebec's recent lead</a>.
And the Sudbury Star has endorsed <a href="http://www.thesudburystar.com/2014/06/09/editorial-olivier-in-sudbury" target="blank">Liberal Andrew Olivier for the riding of Sudbuy</a>, after <a href="http://www.thesudburystar.com/2014/06/08/editorial-gelinas-in-nickel-belt" target="blank">endorsing NDP candidate France Gelinas in Nickel Belt earlier this week</a>.
<h4>Events</h4>
8 a.m.
NDP leader Andrea Horwath to meet with NDP candidates Dan Gelinas, Lisa Gretzky, Percy Hatfield, and Taras Natyshak in Essex.
8:15 a.m.
Premier Kathleen Wynne to speak in Kingston.
9:15 a.m.
Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak to hold media availability at Compugen in Richmond Hill.
11 a.m.
Hudak to hold photo opportunity at the campaign office of candidate Larry Scott in Oakville.
11:15 a.m.
Horwath to meet with candidates Judy Bryant, Peggy Sattler, Teresa Armstrong, and Kathy Cornish in London.
1:20 p.m.
Horwath to meet with Brant candidate Alex Felsky.
2 p.m.
Hudak to hold photo opportunity at the campaign office of candidate Jeff Bennett in London.
2:30 p.m.
Wynne to deliver remarks in Trenton.
5:45 p.m.
Wynne to meet with local Liberals in Pickering.
7 p.m.
Horwath to meet with candidates Catherine Fife, Margaret Johnston, James Villeneuve, Michael Carlucci, and Bobbi Stewart in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Your morning briefing

Read this for free.