Mantha’s News from the Park
MPP Michael Mantha, Algoma-Manitoulin
Liberal scandal continued to dominate question period this week with public and opposition demanding answers from the Premier to come clean about her involvement in the Sudbury by-election talks.
The NDP called on the Premier during Question Period this week to answer whether or not she briefed the Member for Sudbury Glenn Thibeault on the by-election nomination process in Sudbury. Andrew Olivier, the Liberal candidate for Sudbury, was well known to Thibeault at the time the alleged bribery took place.
Gerry Lougheed, a high-ranking Liberal fundraiser on the Sudbury campaign team, has been accused of offering bribes to Olivier so he would drop out of the by-election, thereby allowing a spot for Thibeault to campaign. The OPP has since filed two criminal charges against Lougheed.
Mr. Lougheed, has done a lot of work for the Premier and has said that he had been trying for years to get Mr. Thibeault to run in the Ontario Legislature. In the end, there was just one problem, and that was that Mr. Olivier wanted to run in that nomination. New Democrats and the public want to know to what lengths the Premier and Thibeault were willing to go to secure the nomination in Sudbury with the knowledge that Olivier had no plans to step aside. Nothing seems to change with this government, it`s the same old entitlement and putting themselves before the best interests of Ontarians.
In other news, NDP MPP Gilles Bisson`s Private Members Bill to cap executive salaries failed to pass second reading on Thursday. This bill sought to cap salaries in the public sector that exceed twice that of the Premier`s, which is currently $209,000 per year.
NDP Leader had introduced similar Bills in 2010 and 2013 and both times the Liberals voted against it.
The public are growing increasingly tired of seeing this Liberal government put their own interests first, and continue to line the pockets of their friends with cushy appointments.
While many in Algoma-Manitoulin and across Ontario are getting worried about turning on their heat this winter with sky-rocketing bills the incoming CEO is expected to make a salary in excess of $4 million per year. Executive salaries at community care access centres increased by 27 per cent over the last four years and most executives at the Pan Am Games are expected to receive performance bonuses that would double their salaries.
In 2014, approximately 200 executives who made the Sunshine List had rates of pay in greater excess than twice the Premier’s. Several of those executives made over three times that of the Premier’s.
When I travel across the riding and speak to many of you I continue to hear your concerns over the rising cost of hydro and continued liberal waste. The actions by the Liberal government this week proves once again that the Liberal government is not acting in the best interests of Ontarians.
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
