Wynne’s Ring of Fire promises can’t be trusted: MPP Mantha

After continued broken promises to northerners on the Ring of Fire, Premier Kathleen Wynne can no longer be trusted to lead the urgent development, said MPP Michael Mantha, NDP critic for Northern Development and Mines.

 

“Kathleen Wynne has been making promises to the people of Northern Ontario on the Ring of Fire over her four years as premier.   Yet her only action on the project has been to remove any mention of the Ring of Fire from the latest provincial budget,” said Mantha.

 

“During 14 years of Liberal government not one shovel has hit the ground. Not one kilometre of road has been built.  And now Wynne is making more promises on the Ring of Fire without a budget, without a timeline and without proper consultation with all nine First Nations involved.  People would be right in questioning Wynne’s credibility.”

 

Months after Kathleen Wynne said she was trying to reach a deal with nine First Nations to move forward in agreement – particularly to start on the road into the region – Wynne announced Monday that she has only reached a deal with three of those First Nations.  And this spring, Wynne moved Ontario further away from unlocking the Ring of Fire by refusing to include any mention, nor a single dollar to move the project forward, in the provincial budget.

 

“Unlike Wynne and the Conservatives, New Democrats understand the urgency.  Northern families are hurting because of the shortage of good jobs in their home community,” Mantha said.

 

“It doesn’t have to be this way. With a new government – we can take action on the Ring of Fire, and help in the creation of thousands of family-supporting jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity this project promises. And we will do it right, ensuring we respect Indigenous nations in the region as partners.”