Politics, Editorials & Letters

Now that the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season is over, I’m happy to say I feel refreshed and eager to tackle the many issues that affect all of us as Northern Ontarians. I know we are already two weeks into the New Year, but I want to wish everyone all the best in 2020. Over the holidays I ...

Readers of a particular age may recognize the lyrics, “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin, slippin’, into the future,” from the late 70’s song Fly Like an Eagleby the Steve Miller Band. As soon as the Legislature rose for the Christmas Break, upon stepping outside I felt kind of out of step with time –suddenly realizing that the Holiday Season is ...

The Official Opposition NDP is demanding to know how much Doug Ford’s war on the environment will cost this time, as Ford rips wind turbines out of the ground at the Nation Rise Wind Farm in North Stormont leaving Ontarians on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in cancellation costs, yet again.   “Doug Ford declared his war ...

The Hon. Todd Smith has broken his promise to create a needs-based autism program by April 2020 that would implement all of the recommendations of the Autism Advisory Panel. In his press conference, he stated families may have to wait until 2021 to access core therapies that are needs-based. Families are devastated. The announcement that the Ford government will continue ...

Monique Taylor, NDP Children and Youth Services critic, issued the following statement about Doug Ford’s latest broken promise to families of children with autism. “Once again Doug Ford has hurt kids with autism. He’s already put families through hell over the last year by denying access to the services their children need. Because of his cuts, autism workers have been ...

NDP Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath released the following statement as teachers at select boards are poised to walkout for the second time in as many weeks: “I am calling on Doug Ford to reverse his cuts to education, in order to prevent another day of closed schools tomorrow. It’s wrong for him to plow ahead with his reckless scheme ...

I am always honoured to be invited to visit schools across Algoma-Manitoulin. Frequently I am invited to meet with secondary students taking civics and careers classes, but in truth I visit all grades from primary to college. One question I can almost always count on being asked is what I think is the most important thing that an MPP does. ...

Cheryl Gallant, M.P. for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke and Conservative Shadow Minister for Northern Ontario Economic Development, expressed her disappointment following the Liberal Government’s Speech from the Throne.   “Northern Ontario has been completely abandoned by the Liberal Government.  With not a single mention of helping those who work in the forestry or mining industries, nor a focus on rural economic development, this ...

« L’éducation est le passeport pour l’avenir, car demain appartient à ceux qui s’y préparent aujourd’hui. » De nombreux lecteurs identifieront facilement cette citation de Malcom X, éminent défenseur des droits de la personne des années 1960. Je crois sincèrement que l’un des plus grands cadeaux qu’une société puisse offrir à ses jeunes est une bonne éducation qui les préparera à tout ...

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”  Many readers will readily identify this quotation as originating with Malcom X, the prominent human rights activist from the 1960s. I truly believe that one of the greatest gifts that a society can provide to its youth is a good education that will ...

NDP MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan Judith Monteith-Farrell has introduced a bill in the Ontario legislature that would ensure the Northern Health Travel Grant is reviewed and improved, and that northern Ontario residents get the support they need to access health care. The Northern Health Travel Grant Advisory Committee Act would see the establishment of an advisory committee to consult with ...

Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin slammed the Ford government in question period Thursday for continuing to treat northern Ontarians and northern Ontario highways as second class. Bourgouin stressed the need for the government to invest in more plows, and ensure that the same snow clearance standards it applies to the 400 series highways of the south be applied to northern ...

Marit Stiles, Official Opposition Education Critic, issued the following statement: “Doug Ford’s deep cuts to education have hurt students and their families and brought conflict to our classrooms. He never should have brought us to this point. Instead of picking a fight with educators and forcing them to fight to protect public education in Ontario, Doug Ford should listen to ...

Nov 28, 2019 @ 08:01 – Jeff Burch, MPP for Niagara Centre and NDP critic for municipal affairs, released the following statement after the president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario told a government committee Monday that municipalities are asking to be released from legal liability for dangerous drinking water as a result of the Ford government’s gutting of water ...