People in Northern Ontario are too familiar with some of the biggest challenges faced by young people, especially when they relate to employment. For many of our children this search will take them to urban centres. In many instances they will have left for post-secondary education before [Read more]
This week in the legislature New Democrats delivered results with the passage of a Bill to create the Financial Accountability Office. This is proof that the Legislature can deliver results for people when they focus on the right priorities. With the establishment of this office, accountability [Read more]
This week the legislature returned and the NDP welcomed two newly elected MPP’s. During the summer by elections Percy Hatfield was elected in Windsor-Tecumseh and Peggy Sattler was elected in London West. We are proud to have these two fantastic additions to our caucus and look forward to [Read more]
It is well established that poverty has a strong correlation with life expectancy. It is one of the big holes in the government’s reasoning behind their plan to increase the age of eligibility for OAS. The government used numbers that tied the life expectancy of wealthier baby boomers to the [Read more]
Last month five by-elections were called in electoral districts of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, London West, Ottawa South, Windsor-Tecumseh and Scarborough-Guildwood. Many were disappointed that Premier Kathleen Wynne set the voting date for August 1st, the day before the long weekend when people are [Read more]
SUDBURY, ON – NDP MPP France Gélinas renewed New Democrats call for Ombudsman oversight after Andre Marin once again sounded alarm bells about his lack of power to respond to thousands of citizen complaints about hospitals, schools, universities and municipalities. “Yet again we see a [Read more]
A few years back I wrote about the challenges for bees (especially honey bees) as colony collapse disorder was a growing concern and phenomenon. Recent news items show the problems aren’t reversing but are only getting worse. This is significantly bad news and the implications could be felt [Read more]
“We must clean up corruption and lift the veils of secrecy that allow it to flourish. We must do nothing less than replace the culture of entitlement with the culture of accountability.” That was Stephen Harper’s opinion only one year before he became Prime Minister. Much has changed [Read more]
When Ontarians elected a minority government in 2011 they sent a clear message they want their politicians to get results. It’s why New Democrats were crystal clear when we put forward our proposals for this budget. Ontarians deserve some real, achievable change. They want some confidence that [Read more]
QUEEN’S PARK, ON – NDP Health and Long-Term Care Critic France Gélinas says yesterday’s release of the Auditor General’s report raises concerns about access to long-term care in Ontario’s North, and the use of health care dollars around the province. “Any time residents of one area [Read more]
The Finance Minister gave a fiscal update this week, outside of parliament, avoiding appropriate oversight from the people elected to review his work. Among the items of interest to all Canadians is a change in language that sees Canada no longer boasting about having the best economy in the G7. [Read more]
OTTAWA, ON – The Conservative’s can’t just legislate themselves free of the government’s primary responsibilities to First Nations says Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP, Carol Hughes. Hughes was speaking to a Senate bill that will unilaterally impose regulations on First Nations for the [Read more]
ALGOMA-MANITOULIN, ON – After a busy few months in the legislature, the House rose this week for MPPs to spend some time in their ridings. Given the size of Algoma-Manitoulin, it is difficult for me to be everywhere at once, so I decided to hold constituency clinics in the northern part of [Read more]
If you have something embarrassing to announce a good time to do it is on a Friday afternoon. It is believed that most news outlets have set their stories by that point, and the majority of journalists are not paying attention to the news ticker. This is even truer on a Friday before a long [Read more]
NORTHBAY, ON – Today marks the final run of the ONTC’s historic Northlander train, a vital transportation artery for much of northern Ontario. Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof boarded the final northbound train from Toronto to Cochrane to protest the cancellation. He was joined at Union [Read more]
