News from the Park : Hydro Sell-Off, Education & Health Cuts and more
Algoma-Manitoulin NDP MPP Michael Mantha
This week legislature rose however the session was marked by chaos, Hydro One sell-off and criminal investigations.
Opposition parties were on fire in the legislature debating the sell-off of Hydro One and the utter lack of respect for hard-working families in Ontario. New Democrats held several town hall meetings and spoke with thousands of Ontarians. It was beyond evident that the majority of Ontarians were opposed to the fire-sale of Ontario’s lucrative assets. While the Liberals successfully rammed through their Harper-style omnibus budget New Democrats will continue to fight for the issues that matter to Ontario families, including creating jobs, fighting the sell-off Hydro One, working to stop cuts to health and education, and the gutting of rules preventing partisan advertising.
During last year’s election Kathleen Wynne promised a different approach to government – she promised to bring people to the table, to listen to Ontarians. Instead, she’s shutting them out. They didn’t vote to sell Hydro One, they didn’t vote to fire nurses, and cut schools, they didn’t vote for chaos in education, they didn’t vote for more OPP criminal investigations and most importantly they didn’t vote to be ignored.
People deserve better. They deserve a government that is focused on their concerns and their priorities. New Democrats will be focused on making life easier, more affordable and hopeful for middle class and struggling Ontario families. There may be more sell-offs coming. Ontarians need to ask the Premier what else she is selling.
While the past year has been marked with significant disappointments, there have been important bright spots including the passage of a New Democrat MPP Cheri DiNovo’s bill to ban conversion therapy and protect LGBTQ youth. We have continuously been holding the government’s feet to the fire on the sell-off of Hydro One, hiring a Financial Accountability Officer to give Ontarians non-partisan information about the real costs of government projects, passing legislation protecting child performers, protecting children from dangers posed by flavoured tobacco, standing up to end unpaid internships, and raising issues around Post-secondary executive pay to stop “double salaries.”
I have been working hard with stakeholders on my motion to create a Provincial Strategy for Lyme Disease. I have been putting pressure on the government to take action and quit stalling in the process of developing this strategy.
I encourage everyone in Algoma-Manitoulin to get out this summer and support our local economies by buying local. Touring the local farmers markets and festivities is a great way to spend a day and support your neighbours at the same time.
We know the summer months are packed with wonderful community events. There are many Pow Wow’s, music festivals, fish fry’s, parades, rodeos, races and so on. I want to make sure I make it out to as many as possible and lend a hand. Please contact my office and let us know about your community events. Let us know how we can contribute and get the word out.
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
