Wawa-news.com You can't hear the 'big picture'!
In recent years, there have been several popular TV shows that feature dancers who are trying to break into the entertainment industry. Some of them pair amateurs with famous celebrities. While I am not a fan of such programming, I admit that I have been known to draw a fair amount of attention at pow-wows occasionally. Judging from the smiles and giggles on the faces of other dancers and the audience, I assume my skills leave something to be desired. I will leave to readers’ imagination why my dance form garners so many looks and smiles.
As readers undoubtedly know, one of the duties of an MPP is to bring the voice of constituents to the Legislature, ask questions that people want answers to, and hold the government accountable for its decisions. This is one of a member’s most important responsibilities to voters, and I take this very seriously. However, over the years, I have learned that many cabinet ministers and members on the government side don’t always share the reciprocal responsibility of providing direct and informative answers to questions. Further to this problem is that when members question a minister, they are limited to asking an initial question followed by a single supplemental question. Nothing in the parliamentary guidelines says the Minister’s response has to actually answer the question explicitly asked.
Needless to say, this is highly frustrating for the member and the constituents they represent.
The thing is, this dance is no accident. Ministers deliberately skirt questions asked for various reasons. Grant Ainsley wrote an article published on May 13, 2024, entitled Why Do Politicians Refuse to Answer Questions. The post explained that the reasons they do this may include:
- Avoid statements or explanations that could lead to controversy or backlash.
- Staying on message and talking points to support government policies and decisions.
- Following a planned political strategy designed to reinforce government success or undermine that of political opponents.
- Avoid powerful media scrutiny, as every word a government official says is analyzed and parsed.
Unfortunately, while the above-stated purposes of avoiding direct answers may be understandable, the effects of deliberately derailing questions are considerable:
- Erosion of public trust in politicians.
- Lack of accountability.
- Public frustration in resolving real concerns or practices.
- Fueling apathy leads to disengagement, thus turning to less desirable alternatives.
A case in point here in Algoma-Manitoulin involves several communities in the area surrounding the Agnew Lake uranium tailings management site near Nairn Centre, just west of Sudbury. The Township of Nairn and Hymen requested assistance from my office in obtaining information about a massive project on a mine tailings site that neither the municipality nor any local residents had any knowledge of. When they asked the project site managers what was going on, they were told that the project details were confidential.
But why?
After weeks of investigation, it was finally revealed that the government had a plan to remove several thousand tons of old niobium tailings and aggregate materials from a site near North Bay and transport them to Agnew Lake. The tailings are radioactive and contain uranium, lead, thorium and potentially hazardous metals and materials.
Given the potential for both long-term and short-term dangers, why wasn’t the government more forthcoming in sharing this vital information with local officials and residents? Had there been an accident or spill at any time, local authorities would not be able to be adequately prepared to handle the situation. Without protection and understanding of the nature of the materials, the welfare and lives of first responders and the security of the local water supply could be put at risk. We are talking about transporting hazardous materials on public highways and through multiple communities en route.
When the nature of the project was discovered, needless to say, the municipalities and nearby residents were outraged because no one had informed them of the plan, let alone consulted with them. This failure is beyond unconscionable.
In light of the above failure, I wrote to Premier Ford and the Hon. George Pirie, Minister of Mines, to investigate this matter and find out why communities were not consulted before the project began.
And that’s when the dance party began. It became immediately apparent that Minister Pirie was a youth from the 60s when Twist music was all the rage. His response resembled the spinning, shaking and twisting dance movements as he claimed the ministries had informed the local leaders and even invited them to submit feedback. However, hidden within his twisting dance moves was the fact that the planning began over ten years prior, and the consultation took place back in 2018 – 2019 – six years before. There has been no follow-up or communication on the matter since then.
Not to be outdone by her colleague, George Pirie, Health Minister Sylvia Jones treated Northern Ontarians to exquisite dance moves as she waltzed her way around questions about promised improvements to the Northern Health Travel Grant program. In January of last year, Minister Jones included in the new budget promises to update the rates and benefits of the 20+-year-old program to meet modern standards. For months after the announcement, my office received calls and emails almost daily asking for the details of the changes and when they’d take effect. Each time we enquired with the minister’s office, the routine was the same – soon. Finally, after elegantly waltzing around the Legislature’s ballroom floor for 7 or 8 months, the Minister committed to December 2024.
Now, was that so hard? Why did Northern Ontarians have to go through months of flourishes and flouncy responses just to learn a date so they could make plans?
If you ask me, one of the most masterfully skilled ministers who can dance around answering questions directly is Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria. Some will recall that I have repeatedly requested details about replacing the swing bridge to Manitoulin Island. Islanders are asking when construction will begin and how much it will cost.
On November 5, during Question Period in the Legislature, I raised the frustration that people and business owners are experiencing long delays or even being stranded because the swing bridge to Manitoulin Island keeps breaking down or is closed for repair. After years of surveys assessments, the last budget included costs to construct the bridge’s replacement. Yet, not one shovel has been put to the ground to date.
I asked Minister Sarkaria when Islanders can expect construction to begin. The Minister’s response treated Members to a masterful Hip-Hop dance routine. He bounced, rocked and popped as he raved with pride about how the Ministry plans to spend $ 28 billion on roads, bridges and highways – over the next 10 years. He also reaffirmed that the Ministry knows how important the bridge is as a transportation link. Then he honoured me by bringing me into his Hip-Hop routine, saying, “I would hope that member stands up for his residents in the north, stands up for his community, and especially that specific project … I’m hoping to count on that member’s support to ensure that we continue the process of getting that bridge under construction and built for the people in the community and for those in the north who use it.”
Of course, I support it. That’s why I asked the question. As much as I hate to say it, Minister Sarkaria’s dance routine is all flourish and no finish – just like his bridge.
In looking across the aisle at the many dance recitals held during Question Period, I can’t help but wonder if training at the Ford School of Dance is a prerequisite for all Ministers or if they are hand-picked for their almost prowess at dancing around questions without giving up answers to the people of Ontario.
As always, please feel free to contact my office about these issues or any other provincial matters. You can reach my constituency office by email at [email protected] or by phone Toll-free at 1-800-831-1899.
- Ford’s Ministers Just Got’a Dance - January 13, 2025
- Les ministres du Premier Ford traite les questions commela musique, et les évitent est leur danse - January 13, 2025
- Quand Ford utilise la Disposition de Dérogation,ce n’est pas un jeu, mais un danger - December 23, 2024
