Editorials, Letters & Political Commentary

During Monday’s question period, Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky, the NDP Official Opposition critic for Community and Social Services, asked the Ford government why it is spending $1 million to hire a consultant to help it cut even more funding from supports for people with developmental disabilities. Gretzky also asked why the winner of that million-dollar contract was instructed not ...

To the Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada: It has become exhausting facing the mounting challenges on our family owned remote tourist business after the ACR passenger train service was cancelled. When the Federal Government and CN did this it compromised our Northern identity. Railmark’s attempted take-over of the service was a total disaster – they didn’t have their ...

As the Federal political parties count down to the October election, they must have policy positions that speak to all national issues. Access to transportation is important to Canadians everywhere.  It would be valuable to learn the leaders’ positions on transportation access to the remote northern communities, and whether or not, they have formed an opinion on the use of ...

By, Rob Keen, Registered Professional Forester and CEO of Forests Ontario and Forest Recovery Canada Good news is rare, though it seems like nearly every day for the past few weeks there have been new commitments by global leaders to fight climate change by planting huge numbers of trees. In my 38 years as a forester, I’ve never experienced enthusiasm ...

Dear Brenda, For the third time in 10 days, I’ve heard this story There a rooster on the loose at SPG, There’s a rooster half-starved and on the loose out by the greenhouses I caught a starving rooster out by the dump can you take it. So what gives Wawa? You all get on the “organic is better” bandwagon. Order ...

It may not be obvious to most since very few attend council meetings, but some very good projects seemed to have been very quietly set aside.  Two of these were very important; the Municipal Organization & Compensation Study/Review and the development of a Community Hub. In 2017, Council budgeted for and approved funds to conduct an Organizational & Compensation Study/Review. ...

Doug Ford ripped up the Health and Physical Education curriculum, threatened teachers with a sex-ed snitch-line and spent $1 million on an online survey, only to release a new curriculum Wednesday that is largely unchanged from the 2015 sex-ed curriculum. The new curriculum is a victory for student safety, and for the families, teachers, education workers and experts who led ...

The good people of Northern Ontario, we are at a turning point in our history and this next election will decide whether we will finally come out of our decline or if our young will be forced to continue to look for work elsewhere. Over the last year, the Liberals have dealt a serious blow to Northerners by creating a ...

Agency Stores. Most people in Rural and Northern Ontario know what they are. Most people in Rural and Northern Ontario know their owners. They are the local shops in our communities, where people can buy a range of products from groceries to diapers and a bottle of wine or a case of beer. For 57 years, local stores in Rural ...

Sol Mamakwa, Ontario NDP critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, said it’s shameful for the Ford Conservatives to rewrite the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies curriculum without adequately consulting Indigenous communities; and wrong for Doug Ford to make Indigenous education an optional elective.   On Tuesday, the Ford Conservatives announced the new curriculum for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit ...

Doug Ford’s elimination of out-of-country OHIP coverage will make travel for Ontarians with kidney failure unaffordable, said NDP Health critic France Gélinas who called for the reversal of the cut.   Gélinas held a press conference at Queen’s Park on Thursday with Allison Knudsen and John Landreville, who live with kidney failure and need dialysis.   “Doug Ford will ground ...

Thank You Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd.! The Rotary Club of Wawa recently received a very generous donation to the local Dolly Parton Imagination Library project. All participating children in Wawa are most grateful for your support. The international Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program offers free books to children between the ages of newborn to five years old. If anyone hasn’t ...

During question period Monday, NDP Northern Development critic, Michael Mantha,  continued to advocate for the North in the face of Doug Ford’s first budget, which attacks northern Ontario, hitting families with deep cuts to services, infrastructure, and economic development.   “Ministries that are dedicated to the development of the Northern economy, like the Ministries of Natural Resources and Forestry and Northern ...

During question period Monday, NDP Northern Development critic, Michael Mantha,  continued to advocate for the North in the face of Doug Ford’s first budget, which attacks northern Ontario, hitting families with deep cuts to services, infrastructure, and economic development.   “Ministries that are dedicated to the development of the Northern economy, like the Ministries of Natural Resources and Forestry and Northern ...

The Ford Government isn’t just spending thousands of public dollars on gas pump stickers promoting a partisan campaign against carbon pricing – yesterday’s budget bill revealed that Ford plans to fine gas stations $10,000 a day if the businesses fail or refuse to post the stickers. The stickers, which Ford will use public money to produce and distribute, denounce the ...