Politics

You know those sci-fi movies and television programs in which the story revolves around a portal adjoining two worlds. Often the plot is based on the idea that whatever the main character does in one world has some sort of effect in the other world. Some days, when I plunk myself down in my residence in Toronto, I feel like ...

How many times has Canada been chosen as the best place to live or placed at least in the top ten best nations to live in the entire world? There have been many surveys based upon responses to a large variety of criteria. Admittedly I didn’t come up with a final answer in my research, but suffice to say we ...

Recently I was in the positon of needing to make arrangements for a special retrofit project back home. Knowing such a project would likely take some time to complete and given my work schedule, doing the work myself just wasn’t practical. Besides, I admit that I didn’t really know where to begin, so I needed to hire someone. As I ...

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 ...

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 ...

Frequent readers of this column well know how much I value holding regular constituency clinics in communities across the riding. Having the opportunity to talk face-to-face with individuals to listen to their concerns is one of the most effective ways for an MPP to stay in touch with what is going on in the lives of their constituents. Not only ...

    Anyone who knows me would likely agree that I truly am a Northerner through and through. I will admit that at times, though not often, I do take advantage of some opportunities that are more urban in nature, such as professional sports, musical concerts and theatre. Toronto’s reputation as a cultural centre is growing. There are some truly ...

Michael Mantha has been successful in securing a third consecutive term as MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin. Mantha was delighted with the final outcome of the election results for this riding but said right from the beginning that he was taking nothing for granted. At this time the final tally for all ridings has not been officially announced; however, the NDP is ...

Apr 30, 2018 @ 08:37 Gathered around an office full of lively supporters, volunteers and community members, Ontario NDP MPP Michael Mantha launched his re-election campaign in Algoma-Manitoulin with the opening of his Elliot Lake campaign office. “I’m thrilled to be launching our campaign and continue fighting for Algoma-Manitoulin communities,” Mantha said. “We continue to see wait times at hospitals ...

Apr 23, 2018 @ 08:31 One of the things I love about Canadians in general is our ability to look in the collective mirror when we need to have a good laugh. That’s why shows such as Air Farce, This Hour has 22 Minutes and The Rick Mercer Report are so incredibly popular and have been on the air for ...

Apr 18, 2018 @ 11:07 On June 7th, 2018 the riding of Algoma-Manitoulin will not only have a person they can vote for on the ballot but a local family man. The option is finally here for the constituents of this Northern Ontario riding who want a stronger voice for their riding and Northern Ontario.   The Northern Ontario Party ...

Apr 11, 2018 @ 08:47

On behalf of Ontario’s New Democrats, I would like to extend greetings and best wishes to all Ontarians observing Good Friday and celebrating Easter this weekend.   Easter, and the holy week that leads to it, is a time to remember the sacrifices that have been made for each of us, and it is a reminder to be mindful of ...

One of the real perks for me in this job is visiting with students in our school system. Many would be surprised to learn that my visits don’t just focus on secondary school civics classes. I make it a point to visit classrooms from primary grades through to college. If we want our youth to be engaged and have an ...