Ontarios Premier got a first-hand look at the destruction of the tornado that ripped through Durham.
Dalton McGuinty toured the towns industrial park — along with Huron-Bruce Liberal M-P-P Carol Mitchell, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative M-P-P Bill Murdoch, and West Grey Deputy Mayor Dan Sullivan — yesterday where most of the destruction from last Thursday took place.
McGuinty says he also had the opportunity to talk to the parents of the 11-year-old Ayton boy who was killed by debris at the conservation area during the storms.
McGuinty identified the boy as Owen McPherson and says he offered his deepest sympathy to his parents for the loss of their son.
He says he spoke to them more as a father than as a Premier and adds he could not imagine what it is like for a parent to lose a child.
McGuinty says despite the tragedy and the lives affected by the tornados he was impressed by the resolve and the determination from the community in their efforts to rebuild.
He says it is great to find complete strangers supporting one another in this time of difficulty.
McGuinty says there is a program available to provide funding and support to those in these circumstances.
He says there is a process that is involved where people have to apply and expects a number of them will put in applications for funding.
The Premier also visited Vaughan where the same F-2 tornado touched down and created similar havoc in that city.