Editorials, Letters & Political Commentary

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 ...

During question period Wednesday, NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong) said the Ford Conservatives must stop undermining the government’s duty to consult with First Nations on the Far North Act, and called for government engagement by holding hearings in Far North communities in order to improve and replace that act.   “Proper engagement on the Far North Act should not be ...

Dear Readers My story starts here roughly 3 years ago I had my colonoscopy done and they found a polyp. It was removed and sent for a biopsy and it came back non-cancerous. Since the doctor found the polyp, I was scheduled for a re-exam 3 years later. This time another polyp was found. As it turns out when this ...

All but 30 of the 1,594 people who applied to be heard by the government on its health care overhaul scheme were turned away by the Doug Ford government, prompting NDP Leader Andrea Horwath to call attention to their stories, and their objections, in the legislative assembly Tuesday.   “Kenneth Yurchuk is almost 70 years old and battling cancer, having ...

  During question period on Tuesday, NDP Northern Development critic Michael Mantha said the Ford government must ensure access to wood supply for northern mills and forestry operations, to support the hundreds of jobs that depend on them. Mantha said the future of one mill in Fort Frances is in jeopardy, and another mill in Thessalon is cutting jobs because ...

In light of a shocking new opioid-related death-toll number, Bhutila Karpoche, Ontario NDP critic for Mental Health and Addictions, said it’s simply wrong for the Ford Conservatives to delay the approval of licence applications for overdose prevention sites, and limit their number.   According to new data reported by the Canadian Press, the first half of last year, the opioid ...

Thank you to the ‘knucklehead(s)” who threw out fish guts or whatever over the hill where we walk our dogs (snow dump). Fine; ashes to ashes and give the coyotes and ravens a chance to survive — but please, not so close to home and worse — take it out of the plastic bag! My curious dog, searching in overdrive ...

Dear Brenda, Doug Ford has turned his back on rural Ontario. So I would encourage rural Ontario to turn their back on Premier Ford. Randy  Hillier was elected by his constituents as their representative at Queens Park not to be Ford’s puppet. Randy has served his riding with great dignity and loyalty to the people. Due to Ford’s bad judgement on ...

Dear editor, How can we allow Ford to further endanger our plants, animals and the environment? Where is our government and why are they not stopping him? Sincerely, Dyanne Smart, Wawa

MPPs return to Queen’s Park on Tuesday, February 19 and budget day should be soon after. The question northerners are asking – is the $45 million promised by the PCs for the return of passenger rail service from Toronto to Cochrane in the budget?? Will Premier Ford keep his promise? Will Vic Fedeli keep his promise? The Northeastern Ontario Rail ...

Sometime in November 2018 Canadians started to notice that more and more of their fellow Canadians started to wear Yellow Vests. I have also taken notice and have been watching this unfold over the past few months. This wearing of the “Yellow Vest” has become synonymous with the events taking place world wide – albeit, in Canada we are relatively ...

The Official Opposition Health Care critic, France Gélinas, says the pervasiveness of kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies to pharmacies — designed to push their generics over those of competitors’ — affirms Ontario’s need for universal pharmacare, a prescription drug plan that covers everyone.   This weekend, CBC’s investigative news program The Fifth Estate reported that the practice of drug companies paying ...

On Monday afternoon, Doug Ford delivered a shocking and disturbing admission that he believes the head of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to be a “political appointment.”   “The police are not political,” said NDP Community Safety and Correctional Services critic Kevin Yarde. “We require these brave officers to preserve the integrity of Ontario’s police force, and they need to ...

First, let me thank the organizers of the Christmas Hamper, they do a wonderful job of organizing and carrying out this event every year. However, I have spoken to many people this year and most have voiced the same concern – they felt humiliated when they went to pick up their baskets. I can understand the committee asking for identification, ...

Dear Brenda, It’s a bit rich for Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Rob Phillips to be touting the government’s progress on the long-term sustainability of our vital drinking water resources at the same time as the Government of Ontario has introduced Bill 66. The proposed bill would allow municipalities to circumvent planning requirements and land use restrictions under ...