Mantha’s News from the Park : By-elections and Ring of Fire
Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha
Last week more Ontarians went to the polls in two by-elections in Niagara Falls and Thornhill. The results: more and more voters are rejecting the same-old parties offering the same-old solutions. Families across this province are feeling squeezed and this current liberal government has not been listening to their needs. New Democrats have been touring the province listening to your priorities and bringing those back to Queen’s Park. We have been holding the government’s feet to the fire to make decisions that actually make life more affordable for working families and business.
February 13th, 2014, in Niagara Falls voters turned to Wayne Gates and the NDP. Folks there know that he, alongside our entire caucus will focus on their priorities: job creation, health care, the cost of living while respecting the value of public dollars sent to Queen’s Park. I want to congratulate Wayne and I look forward to the legislature resuming with a strengthened caucus. We will continue to stand up for issues that matter to Ontarians and put your priorities first.
In other news, the Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle held a press conference last Friday in Thunder Bay to discuss his government’s developments in the Ring of Fire [From the Editor: Click here for video of Mr. Gravelle’s announcement/update]. This press conference provided us with a clear update that the government has in fact moved nowhere on the mining file. There was little content in their announcement other than they have hired more consultants to consult. There was no real forward momentum indicated other than another contract being announced.
Consultants and lawyers continue to profit on the Ring of Fire while mining industry and First Nations are left out in the cold. Again we witness the Liberals govern by press release, all talk and no action. They made promises of a smelter in Capreol and thousands of jobs, and now we see Cliffs Natural Resources pack up and leave town with all their jobs as a result to government inaction.
Last year the Liberal government announced the creation of a Ring of Fire Development Corporation. Last week, Minister Gravelle announced that consulting firm Deloitte LLP would be brought in to guide the establishment of the corporation.
It’s clear the Liberals have moved nowhere on this file since last year, and have now retained an outside consultant firm to advise them on what should have been done years ago. Once again we see the government announcing a plan to make a plan to make a plan. Industry, as we have seen, are packing up and leaving, taking their investment dollars and good jobs elsewhere.
Industry and area First Nations alike are continuing to grow frustrated by the lack of leadership and action by the Liberal government. Mining companies have spent millions of dollars in exploration, but progress has been stalled by the government’s lack of action.
Liberals have continued to put Northern Ontario on the back burner. Industry is suffering, transportation services have been lost, and Northerners are feeling ignored. Despite their claims, this Liberal government continues to neglect the needs and priorities of Northerners, First Nations and industry.
As always, please feel free to contact my office about this issue, or any other provincial matters. You can reach my constituency office by email at mmantha-co@ndp.on.ca or by phone at 705-461-9710/1-800-831-1899.
MPP Michael Mantha, Algoma-Manitoulin
