Editorials, Letters & Political Commentary

Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath released the following statement in response to the announcement of federal funding for the return to school, and Doug Ford’s choice not to use those funds to shrink class sizes: “It’s gut-wrenching for families and educators that Doug Ford continues to choose crowded classrooms instead of smaller, safer classes. After today’s federal education funding ...

The NDP and its critic for Economic Growth and Job Creation, Catherine Fife MPP (Waterloo), are calling for Doug Ford to remove the looming threat of commercial evictions facing small businesses across Ontario.   “Main Street has been devastated by the pandemic, and the Ford government has done little to help when they needed it most. We’ve already seen too ...

Today, John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, issued the following statement in response to the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel’s decision: “Ontario welcomes the decision made by the WTO panel that the countervailing duties the U.S. placed on Canadian lumber exports violate the U.S.’s WTO trade obligations. ...

Catherine Fife MPP (Waterloo), NDP critic for Economic Growth and Job Creation, has issued a statement after a new report from the Conference Board of Canada revealed that Ontario’s economy will record a steep 7.6 per cent decline in real GDP growth this year:   “The COVID-19 pandemic has hit every business across the province, with so many still struggling ...

Kevin Yarde, NDP Critic for Community Safety and Correctional Services, released the following statement in response to the Ford government’s announcement regarding the hiring of 200 additional provincial police officers:   “We are disappointed that the Ford government’s announcement did not consider or address the vital reforms that are being called for by community leaders, experts in health and justice, ...

Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is demanding the Ford government stop for-profit providers from regaining control of long-term care homes while the COVID-19 pandemic continues and until all investigations have been completed.   “We were all horrified to see what was happening in private, for-profit LTC homes who utterly failed the seniors in their care and had to be ...

Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath stood alongside anxious parents Wednesday at Birch Cliff Public School in Scarborough who are desperately worried about Doug Ford’s dangerous back-to-school scheme that puts the health of their children at risk and fails to offer any child care support if the start of the school year is delayed.   “For months now, parents have ...

Dear Brenda, While Rody and his Council cancelled the Wawa Drag Races (COVID-19), it seems that the the Wawa Dragway is still ongoing. The stretch of Churchill Avenue from Mission Road to the High School is an inviting stretch of road.  Cars, truck and ATV’s travel at excessive speeds endangering the lives of far too many.  Meanwhile nothing seems to be getting ...

Doug Ford’s refusal to scrap his risky back-to-school scheme has put the start of the school year in jeopardy, and Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says that’s putting parents, school boards, teachers and education workers in a terrible position, scrambling to sort out a safe September without the resources they need.   Horwath brought a school bus to Queen’s ...

Doly Begum­­­­, NDP Early Learning and Child Care critic, said the Ford government’s release of its operational handbook for child care re-opening during COVID-19 on Thursday night has parents and child care advocates worried about skyrocketing costs, on top of the safety of children. “Instead of helping parents who have to go back to work, the Ford government is making ...

To all our clients, community partners, and funders: On behalf of the extraordinary team at Algoma Family Services (AFS), we are pleased to announce the resumption of in-person services. We recognize the last four and a half months have been challenging for many children, youth, adults, and families. While our offices were closed in March, we continued to provide many ...

With the window for rescuing the start of the school year about to slam shut, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is urging the Ford government to do much more than just give its permission for school boards to stagger the back-to-school week.   “Staggering arrival days means the Ford government needs to step up with child care and paid-leave options ...

MPP Catherine Fife, Official Opposition NDP Critic for Economic Growth, is calling on the federal and provincial governments to step up and provide struggling small businesses with desperately needed pandemic relief, by administering remaining Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) funds directly to small businesses. “For months, small businesses across the province have been struggling to keep their doors open ...

Ontario NDP Health critic France Gélinas issued the following statement in response to the announcement made by the Minister of Education Stephen Lecce on Thursday:   “The announcement from Minister Stephen Lecce offers absolutely no comfort at all to parents, school staff and students who are anxious and afraid about sending their children back to crowded classrooms in September. Lecce’s ...

Kiiwetinoong NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa is calling on the Ford government to support families who have evacuated Red Lake and Eabametoong, after their communities declared a state of emergency due to the threat of fires.   “Families who have evacuated need to know if the provincial government plans to help them.   Right now families from Red Lake are scattered in ...