Regular readers of this column are accustomed to me relating events and issues at Queen’s Park to everyday experiences that I find myself in, be they personal or professional. I think, in a way, the writing style compliments the way I approach my job. It is one of the things I do to stay focused, grounded and in touch with ...

Following the release of the Auditor General’s “Special Report on the Changes to the Greenbelt“, Michael Mantha (MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin) is calling on the Premier to immediately recall the legislature and reverse the removal of land from the Greenbelt that happened last fall. MPP Mantha issued the following statement: “Today the Auditor General made it clear that the ‘exercise’ undertaken ...

Les lecteurs de cette chronique savent à quel point je suis fier d’être un habitant du Nord né et élevé. J’ai grandi à Gogama, où le français était la langue maternelle dans presque tous les foyers. Les gens parlaient français dans les églises, les écoles et les entreprises. Dans l’esprit de mes frères et sœurs et de mes amis, notre ...

Readers of this column know how proud I am to be a born and bred Northerner. I grew up in Gogama, where French was the mother tongue in almost every home. People spoke French in churches, schools, and businesses. In the minds of my siblings and friends, our whole world was French-speaking. For us, French was the norm. You may ...

One of the greatest perks that many Northern families enjoy is being able to go to camp to be surrounded by natural beauty and solitude, just minutes from home. Some of us can even go there daily after work. I know a family who frequently enjoys having their kids come to camp with little ones. When I stopped to chat ...

L’un des plus grands avantages que les nombreuses familles du Nord apprécient est de pouvoir aller au camp et être entourées de beauté naturelle. Certains d’entre nous peuvent même y aller tous les jours après le travail. Je connais une famille qui aime que leur petit-enfant vienne camper avec eux. Quand je me suis arrêté pour discuter avec un voisin, ...

Alors que je réfléchissais à des sujets pour la chronique de cette semaine, compilant une liste dans mon esprit, il m’est venu à la connaissance que j’ai écrite sur les questions de santé à plusieurs reprises au cours des derniers mois. J’étais sur le point de dépasser le sujet quand j’ai senti une étincelle électrique claquer dans ma conscience. Bien ...

As I was mulling over topics for this week’s column, compiling a list in my mind, it occurred to me that I’ve written about healthcare issues several times in recent months. I was about to toss out the topic when I felt an electric spark snap in my mind. Of course! It’s a major issue that is hurting many thousands ...

Few, or very few, people would argue that anything good came out of the Corona Virus pandemic. But, well, forgive me if I show my optimistic side for a moment and say that one of the things the pandemic did was force us to look around us and see the everyday things and people in our lives from a different ...

Today during question period, Michael Mantha (MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin) pressed Graydon Smith the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) on staffing issues in his ministry. Conservation officers and wildland forest firefighters have raised alarms about staff leaving their positions in search of better pay. MPP Mantha raised these concerns with Minister Smith in the fall of 2022 after receiving ...

This afternoon Michael Mantha, MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin, tabled legislation at Queen’s Park to amend the Highway Traffic Act respecting the medical condition reporting (MCR) regime in Ontario.   Last year, a series of articles by investigative journalists at the Toronto Star revealed that Ontario’s reporting system was prone to arbitrarily suspending drivers’ licenses. In many cases individuals visited who visited ...

Well, what can I say, except isn’t life just full of surprises? As most readers know, I now sit as an Independent Member of the Provincial Parliament. The independent investigation process is ongoing, and my staff and I continue to cooperate throughout the process. Out of respect for the complainant’s privacy, no further details will be forthcoming. I must admit ...