MPP Mike Mantha’s News From The Park
Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha
As I travel across Algoma-Manitoulin I continue to hear your frustration with rising electricity costs. This week at Queen’s Park New Democrat leader Andrea Horwath unveiled our plan to cut hydro waste and pass the savings on via $100 rebate. Ontarians are paying the highest electricity prices in Canada and working families are having trouble keeping up. New Democrats plan to cut waste in Ontario’s electricity system by using three simple steps.
By stopping the $1 billion annual subsidy of electricity exports to jurisdictions like New York and Michigan and by taking Ontario hydro sales out of the hands of speculative energy traders is a simple first step. Capping executive pay and cutting down on waste and duplication by merging Ontario’s hydro agencies would be our second cost saving measure. And lastly, stopping private power giveaways and having Ontario’s Auditor conduct an immediate review of all private power contracts in the wake of the $1-billion gas plant scandal.
We all know that families have been footing the bill for the sale of discount electricity to the US, as Ontario has handed out $1-billion to private companies and Wall Street energy traders to produce excess electricity and ship it to America at a loss. This needs to stop, middle class families in this province have been paying to light up cities over the border and it’s time Ontarians saw the benefits.
Also this week the liberal government announced new accountability measures, something New Democrats have been calling on for years. We will be looking closely at any legislation to come. It seems more like a political decision than a genuine one given the timing so close to a budget. It is obvious that this government is seriously trying to distance themselves from 10 years of liberal scandals. However Ontarians have not forgotten the numerous scandals including Ornge, Gas plants, eHealth, ONTC boondoggle, Hydro One billing fiasco, race track closures and unfortunately the list goes on. The complete waste of taxpayers’ money and lack of respect for Ontarians has resulted in the public’s loss of trust for the current liberal government. People need to trust their government, not only hear promises come budget or election time.
In other news, this week was the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) convention. Mining companies from across Ontario and around the world travelled to Toronto. Many companies working in Algoma-Manitoulin and the north had the opportunity to highlight their projects as well as discuss their challenges.
There is a huge potential for economic growth in this sector in Northern Ontario and many companies, investors and communities are frustrated with the government’s lack of leadership on this file. We continue to see mines closing down and investors leaving taking jobs with them. We can move forward on this file, create good jobs, work together with First Nations and protect our environment, but the government remains on the sidelines and opportunities are being lost. I will continue to press the government to stop government by press release and start taking action on this file.
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.
Michael Mantha, MPP/député
Algoma-Manitoulin
