Catherine Fife, NDP Critic for Economic Growth and Job Creation and Sandy Shaw, NDP Finance Critic, are calling on the Ford government to strike an all-party select committee on the economic recovery from COVID-19.   “An all-party committee on economic recovery would take partisan politics off the table and ensure that all voices are heard as Ontario deals with the worst ...

The NDP is calling for a suite of safeguards to ensure agribusinesses and rural economies can weather the COVID-19 storm — particularly since the provincial government has left the farming industry and rural communities to fend for themselves, weakening the food supply chain.  “Imagine finding out that the animals that your family worked hard to raise have lost their value. ...

Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP Education critic, released the following statement to mark Education Week:   “This year, we mark Education Week at a time when students, parents, teachers and education workers are facing extraordinary circumstances. As Education Critic for the Official Opposition, I want to thank students and parents across the province for your flexibility and hard work to keep ...

NDP Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath released the following statement to mark International Workers’ Day and First Responders Day in Ontario: Today, as Ontarians join communities across the globe in celebrating International Workers’ Day, it is more important than ever to show our thanks and solidarity to working folks. During these incredibly difficult times, we are all especially thankful for the public health staff, health ...

The NDP is calling on the Ford Government’s Labour Minister to strengthen protections for workers to refuse unsafe work, especially while they consider the steps necessary to re-open the economy. The Toronto Star has reported that 213 workers have exercised their legislated right to refuse unsafe work and demand an inspection from the Ministry of Labour. In every case, the ...

The rent is due in three days, but business owners and advocates are worried that Ontario’s broken new rent relief program will only lead to more closed doors.  Here’s just some of what Ontario’s business community has had to say: “The main concern that I am hearing from our clients, is that the landlord may be reluctant to enrol in ...

NDP Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath is urging the province to cover 100 per cent of the cost of take-home cancer drugs some patients are struggling to afford after the COVID-19 pandemic put their in-hospital treatments on hold. The NDP has long called for the province to make all take-home cancer drugs free, and this has only taken on increased ...

In a statement, NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell (Thunder Bay-Atikokan) has raised serious concerns about the recently announced decision by Kasper Transportation to suspend land based transportation services in Northern Ontario starting on May 2nd, 2020: “The intercity bus service is critical for seniors and rural communities in Northern Ontario who depend on it. This decision by Kasper Transportation to suspend ...

  April 24, 2020 Hon. Doug Ford Premier’s Office Room 281 Legislative Building, Queen’s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1A1 RE: Accès des régions rurales et du Nord au large bande Cher Premier ministre, La réalité de presque tout le monde dans notre province a radicalement changé le mois dernier. Il est devenu évident que pour nous sauver de la COVID-19 ...

  April 24, 2020 Hon. Doug Ford Premier’s Office Room 281 Legislative Building, Queen’s Park Toronto, ON M7A 1A1 RE: Rural and Northern Access to Broadband Dear Premier, The reality of almost everyone in our province drastically changed last month. It became evident that to save ourselves from COVID-19 and to curb the spread of the virus, we would have to self-isolate. ...

“All heroes should be treated like heroes,” said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, urging the government to agree to give all workers in congregate care settings the same deal as the staff at Participation House will now, finally, get.   The Markham assisted living home for adults with disabilities is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak. An agreement has been reached to double their pay ...

The Official Opposition wants a list of long-term care facilities and other congregate care settings experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19 to be posted publicly online.   The NDP’s call comes after at least 31 deaths were confirmed at a Pickering long-term care facility that was reporting only four deaths just days ago.   “This is a scary time for families with loved ...

Doug Ford et Stephen Lecce ont laissé croire, tant aux enseignant·es qu’aux élèves et à leurs familles, qu’au moins 21 000 nouvelles tablettes iPad parviendraient très bientôt aux familles dans le besoin, afin de permettre aux élèves qui en font partie d’avoir accès à l’apprentissage en ligne pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. Or, la vérité c’est que les conseils scolaires ne ...

Doug Ford and Stephen Lecce gave teachers, students and families the impression that at least 21,000 new iPads were on the way to give families in need access to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The truth is that school boards won’t get a single extra device.   “We’ve heard from boards all over the province that are inundated with ...

NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong), the critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, released the following statement regarding a new deal signed between the Grassy Narrows First Nation and the federal government to construct a mercury treatment centre: “I congratulate the leadership of Grassy Narrows on securing an agreement with Canada to receive full funding to build a Mercury Care Home ...