Recently while making the most of a rare opportunity to be back home for a weekend, I had a chance to catch up with a young acquaintance I’ve known for quite some time. As a result of the numerous casual chats that have had with this young adult, I have really come to respect her innate intelligence, sensibility and contagious ...

    Anyone who knows me would likely agree that I truly am a Northerner through and through. I will admit that at times, though not often, I do take advantage of some opportunities that are more urban in nature, such as professional sports, musical concerts and theatre. Toronto’s reputation as a cultural centre is growing. There are some truly ...

As a northern MPP I freely admit to readers that my northern NDP colleagues and I have a natural tendency when in Queen’s Park to primarily focus upon how matters affect the people living in northern regions of this province. Of course we care deeply about what is going on all across the province as we are all dedicated to ...

Sep 10, 2018 @ 09:51   While I have never claimed to be an artist or have any particular artistic skills, any lack of my own artistic talents has never prevented me from appreciating the creativity of others. A society’s arts – be they visual, musical, theatrical, literary or whatever – provide an insightful reflection of our cultural values, beliefs ...

NFTP 180831 As you know, MPPs have been back to work in Queen’s Park almost immediately following June election. Doug Ford was determined to start swinging that wrecking ball as soon as he could. Like all of my colleagues it has been a real whirlwind trying to fit in all of our new rolls as the Official Opposition as well ...

This week I attended the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa where I joined municipal leaders and delegations from across Ontario including several from communities in Algoma-Manitoulin. The purpose of the AMO, which is comprised of almost all of Ontario’s 444 municipal governments, is to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of municipal government in Ontario. At the ...

A few weeks ago, right after the Legislature was called to sit for a summer session following the June election, in my weekly column I wrote, “Fasten your seatbelts. We better hang on for a wild ride.” Admittedly it didn’t take a fortune teller to help me reach that conclusion. For conservatives who enjoy sharp turns and falling drop-offs, clearly ...

Would someone please inform Doug Ford that the election is over? Since the Conservatives have now formed government it seems that Ford is having problems transitioning to actually governing with real plans and policies. When you sit back and look at what he has said and done since taking office it seems he has committed the Conservatives to governing using ...

Today let’s begin with a little game of, “Who Said This?” Oh, and the only clue is that the person lives in Canada, so it’s not Donald Trump. “You know me. I’m for the little guy.” (While you think, play the “Final Jeopardy” theme song in your head.) If you guessed Doug Ford – BING! BING! BING! – You got ...

You may recall that after Doug Ford called the MPPs to open a new session under the new Conservative government that I said in this column we are all in for a ‘wild ride.’ Well, it didn’t take long for this prognostication to become reality, did it? Now after sitting for 2 weeks, Ford has decided to extend the summer ...

If I were a betting man, I would bet dollars to donuts that when Doug Ford was growing up, one of his favourite TV shows was Happy Days. Remember Richie Cunningham, his family, teenage friends and, of course, The Fonz?  For those too young to remember, Happy Days was a weekly sitcom throwback to the good old days of the ...

First and foremost I want to say how honoured I am to again have the privilege of bringing the voices of the people of Algoma-Manitoulin to Queen’s Park as your MPP. Just like the people who I represent, I am exceedingly proud of this precious land we call home. I am committed to making life better for all Ontarians, both ...

May 7, 2018 @ 11:45 Do you ever have a song that get’s into your head and you just can’t shake it? We all do. I think you’ll understand why the song, “Get the Party Started” by the singer Pink is pumping through my mind as of late. Often people say it drives them crazy when this happens to them, ...

Apr 30, 2018 @ 07:45 One of the privileges of being an MPP is the many invitations I receive to attend festivals, special events, grand openings and program or funding announcements. Since Algoma-Manitoulin covers such a vast territory, there is no shortage of such opportunities. Recently I was in Wikwemikong for the Indigenous Agriculture Gathering for Earth Day. I was ...

Apr 23, 2018 @ 08:31 One of the things I love about Canadians in general is our ability to look in the collective mirror when we need to have a good laugh. That’s why shows such as Air Farce, This Hour has 22 Minutes and The Rick Mercer Report are so incredibly popular and have been on the air for ...