Editorials, Letters & Political Commentary

First Nations communities in Ontario’s Far North facing the COVID-19 pandemic need additional support and action from the Ford government to contain the virus, said Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa, as more communities continue to report positive cases.   “Indigenous communities in Ontario struggling to contain the pandemic need the urgent support of the Ford government now,” said Mamakwa, the NDP’s ...

Official Opposition House Leader Gilles Bisson says far too many businesses are still at risk of unfair evictions if the Conservatives’ new legislation is passed as written. On Monday, the NDP sent the government two critical amendments it insists must be included.   The bill, as written, only protects businesses who qualify for the federal CECRA, but whose landlords refuse to ...

Hello Wawa, I wanted to congratulate you on your friendly, kind community. My daughter is a university student traveling from BC where she attends school home to Ontario. This can be a long, challenging drive at the best of times, let alone during a pandemic. On Saturday night, about 60 km outside of Wawa, she got a flat tire. She ...

Dear Brenda, I was dismayed to read your notice of impending closure, and relieved to read a few hours later that you had received some advertising to allow you to keep alive for another month. I would like for you to share my thoughts with your readers. Thank you ———————- To the Readers of Wawa News Our lives have changed, ...

Chris Glover, Ontario NDP Colleges and Universities critic, released the following statement in response to the Ford government’s announcement about a limited return to classrooms this summer for post-secondary students who need to do to so to complete their degree: “While this is a relief for some students who will now be able to complete their degrees, Minister Ross Romano’s ...

Premier Doug Ford is asking child care centres to open as soon as Friday, with three days’ notice – but he’s not providing the financial support that is required and he’s counting on enough parents not sending their kids back to daycare. With fewer kids and higher costs for screening, personal protective equipment, and cleaning, Ford may be setting child ...

NDP MPPs Jeff Burch (Niagara Centre), who is the Official Opposition Municipal Affairs critic, and NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson (Timmins), have urged Doug Ford to commit to providing emergency operating funding right away for municipalities so they can continue to run day cares, transit systems, public health units, water treatment facilities and so much more, after the pandemic has ...

As the Conservative government hikes hydro rates in the middle of a pandemic, Ontario NDP Energy critic Peter Tabuns said Premier Doug Ford’s failure to fix the electricity system is costing families. Thanks to Ford’s hydro rate hike, Ontario families will pay 12.8 cents per kilowatt hour starting today, up from 10.1 cents per kilowatt hour. “Ford promised a 12 ...

After another disastrous outbreak of COVID-19 at Vista Care Community, a Sienna-owned home in Woodbridge, the NDP is joining the frontline staff in calling for the government to take over management of the home immediately. Staff represented by SEIU Healthcare says staffing levels at the home are so dangerously low that the private manager can’t properly oversee the crisis and ...

Doug Ford and his government need to act immediately and take over the many long-term care facilities across the province that are failing to ensure the health and safety of seniors and staff, said Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath in a press conference with family members of seniors in long-term care. “It wasn’t good enough for Mr. Ford and ...

Weeks late, the government has stepped in to take over two private for-profit long-term care facilities that are failing to protect their residents against COVID-19 — but NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says many more need to come under the direct management of the province. “For weeks, we have all heard horror stories about long-term care homes leaving residents with COVID-19 ...

NDP Municipal Affairs critic Jeff Burch will table a motion this week that would give emergency financial support to municipalities that have been deeply impacted by COVID-19. “Cities and towns throughout the province are on the verge of devastating cuts if the Ford Government does not step up and provide funding,” said Burch. Municipalities are not able to run deficits, ...

Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP Education critic, released the following statement in response to the government announcement that schools will remain closed through the end of June: “Schools should remain closed until it’s absolutely safe for kids to return, so we support the move to keep kids at home for the rest of the school year. But parents are now being ...

Since the pandemic began, the big three for-profit long-term care corporations have hired close Doug Ford allies to protect their financial interests by lobbying Ford and his government. Since the pandemic began, at least four top Ford allies and senior staffers have registered to lobby the government on behalf of the big three: Extendicare, Revera and Chartwell. ●        Melissa Lantsman ...

On Tuesday afternoon, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario will vote on whether to hold a thorough, non-partisan, independent public inquiry — under The Public Inquiries Act — sparked by a motion by NDP Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath.   Since the pandemic began, more than 4,400 residents and staff at Ontario long term care homes have contracted COVID-19, with over 1,400 deaths ...