Politics, Editorials & Letters

As I write this column I find myself concluding another week of constituency clinics covering numerous northern communities in the riding. MPPs are back to the Legislature on Monday. I take pride in being able to say that my face is no stranger to virtually any community in Algoma-Manitoulin. There is no doubt in my mind that constituency clinics play ...

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 ...

Like many Ontarians, I often find myself trying to balance my career life with that of being a dad. I can honestly say that while being a politician and a father, both jobs come with some real challenges, but I couldn’t be happier and more proud to have the opportunity to fulfill my duties for each of these roles. I ...

I spend a great deal of time on the road which gives me lots of time to think things over. Just recently I was travelling along the TransCanada heading back from Wawa. The view along the shores of Lake Superior are truly breathtaking. The view made me think of how fortunate we are to live in Algoma-Manitoulin where we readily ...

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 ...

On Tuesday, Doug Ford tried to smear Deputy Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner Brad Blair with a claim that Blair broke the law by voicing concerns he had with the conduct of Ford’s office, including the attempt to install Ford’s close friend and ally, Ron Taverner, as the province’s top cop. On Thursday, NDP Community Safety and Correctional Services critic ...

There are already questions about Doug Ford trying to inappropriately influence Ron Taverner, after a news report revealed Wednesday that Taverner knew of — and defended — Ford’s demand that the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) secretly buy him a custom camper van. The Toronto Sun reported the story Wednesday. “I am told it’s not a camper van but an extended-size ...

Michael Mantha, MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin and NDP critic for Northern Development and Mines, urged the Ford Conservatives Thursday in question period not to pass up an opportunity to bring jobs to northern Ontario.   The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation recently released its interest in a long-stagnant mill in Chapleau. But despite Indigenous and forestry industry interest in the mill, ...

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says that Doug Ford and his Conservatives spent their first six months in the legislature making things worse for everyday people. “The Liberal government let us down,” said Horwath. “But, in six months at Queen’s Park, Doug Ford has made things even worse for people. This is a government that makes decisions in back rooms, ...