Trudeau meets with Wynne at Queen’s Park

TORONTO — Justin Trudeau was greeted like a rock star today as he arrived at the Ontario legislature for a meeting with Premier Kathleen Wynne, who hugged the prime minister-designate while hundreds of Liberal staffers cheered on.
The Ontario cabinet and most of the Liberal caucus were also gathered on the front steps of the legislature for Trudeau’s arrival, and many clamoured for a handshake or photograph.
The Liberal leader and Wynne met for only a half hour in her office, with both leaving to attend the funeral for Ken Taylor, the former ambassador to Iran.

Trudeau ducked most questions but said he was glad to accept the invitation to get together with Wynne and that the two had “a great conversation on a range of issues.” He added he looked forward to their working together.
Trudeau’s visit shows how dramatically the federal government’s relationship with Ontario has changed.
Wynne launched a public campaign to get a meeting with outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper after he had dismissed all requests for a get-together with the premier for more than a year.
And during the election campaign, Harper boasted that he “delighted” in blocking any federal government help to create or administer the new Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, dismissing it as a “job-killing payroll tax.”
Wynne cautions that Trudeau alone can’t agree to increase contributions and benefits under the CPP and needs the consent of other provinces. She said she’ll keep planning to start payroll deductions for the Ontario pension plan on Jan. 1, 2017.
There was no media availability by either Liberal leader after their meeting at the Ontario legislature, which came a week after Trudeau led his third-place party to a majority government and just eight days before he’ll be sworn in as prime minister.