Editorials, Letters & Political Commentary

Sep 10, 2018 @ 15:55 Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath is calling Doug Ford’s vow to invoke the notwithstanding clause and suspend part of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for Ontarians an unprecedented abuse of power.   “Invoking the notwithstanding clause in a case like this is an unprecedented move, literally suspending the Charter rights of Ontario people ...

Sep 10, 2018 @ 09:51   While I have never claimed to be an artist or have any particular artistic skills, any lack of my own artistic talents has never prevented me from appreciating the creativity of others. A society’s arts – be they visual, musical, theatrical, literary or whatever – provide an insightful reflection of our cultural values, beliefs ...

Taras Natyshak, NDP MPP for Essex, released the following statement regarding the appointment of Gavin Tighe, long-time Ford’s family lawyer and campaign donor, to chair the Public Accountants Council for the Province of Ontario.   “Doug Ford has given his family’s lawyer, Gavin Tighe, a $667,000 government contract with the Public Accountants Council. This looks like yet another pricey patronage ...

Following news of several government advisors being cut by Doug Ford, NDP critics Ian Arthur (Environment), Jessica Bell (Transit), Michael Mantha (Northern Development and Mines), Lisa Gretzky (Community and Social Services), Rima Berns-McGown (Poverty and Homelessness) and Laura Mae Lindo (Anti-Racism) released the following joint statement: “Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals delayed the Ring of Fire, spent 15 years failing ...

La fête du Travail est à nos portes, marquant la fin des vacances scolaires et le virage inévitable vers l’automne. Bien qu’il soit facile de se concentrer sur le jour férié, il est également important de se rappeler qu’il célèbre de nombreuses campagnes qui ont contribué à façonner nos milieux de travail modernes de maintes façons remarquables. Des défilés de ...

Labour Day is upon us marking the end of school vacations and the inevitable turn towards autumn. While it is easy to focus on the day as a holiday, it is also important to remember that it celebrates numerous campaigns that helped shape our modern workplaces in many significant ways. Those are marked by Labour Day Parades and festivities held ...

I just came back (Friday August 25, 4 p.m.) from a walk on Driftwood Beach.  My old legs told me that one third of the way down the beach was far enough. I am absolutely amazed at the lack of litter so far this fishing season…. Well done!  I DID pick up two partial lure plastic bags, a couple of bottle caps, ...

This week I attended the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa where I joined municipal leaders and delegations from across Ontario including several from communities in Algoma-Manitoulin. The purpose of the AMO, which is comprised of almost all of Ontario’s 444 municipal governments, is to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of municipal government in Ontario. At the ...

On Tuesday, NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa (Kiiwetinoong) wrote the Minister of Education calling for Indigenous curriculum development to resume immediately. Last month, the Ford government abruptly cancelled writing sessions intended to make final revisions to a reconciliation curriculum and develop a curriculum to introduce children to Indigenous languages.   Aug. 21, 2018  The Hon. Lisa Thompson Minister of Education Mowat ...

Doug Ford has been doing an excellent job cleaning up Ontario after 15 years of disastrous Liberal rule. Lets start with the cancellation of the Green Energy Act , as we paid 37 billion dollars more for our hydro between 2006 – 2014 in global adjustment fees and by 2032 an additional 133 billion dollars more will paid out in ...

A few weeks ago, right after the Legislature was called to sit for a summer session following the June election, in my weekly column I wrote, “Fasten your seatbelts. We better hang on for a wild ride.” Admittedly it didn’t take a fortune teller to help me reach that conclusion. For conservatives who enjoy sharp turns and falling drop-offs, clearly ...

Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath says Doug Ford’s decision to halt the opening of planned overdose prevention sites flies in the face of all advice from experts, community members, and volunteers, and risks the lives of Ontarians struggling with addiction.   “Late on Friday, the government ordered a halt to previously approved overdose prevention sites. The Premier is interfering with ...

During question period on Monday, Mushkegowuk – James Bay NDP MPP Guy Bourgouin called on the Ford government to stop ignoring the needs of Northern families and invest in passenger transportation for Northern Ontario.   Bourgouin said that disjointed bus services force some Northern families to travel for days to get to cities within only a few hours’ drive.   ...

During question period Thursday, NDP MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell demanded answers from Doug Ford for local participants of the Basic Income Pilot Project cancelled by the Ford government this summer. ”When did the government inform participants of the Basic Income pilot program that it was to end, and have they been informed when they will no longer receive the income that ...

In the 5 weeks since the Ontario PCs’ cabinet was sworn in it has become increasingly apparent that when Premier Doug Ford was sloganeering about his government being the first “For the People”, he didn’t mean LGBTQ2 people or anyone who cares about child safety or building a more inclusive Ontario.   The PCs have moved hastily to scrap the ...