As your NDP candidate for Thunder Bay-Superior North, I say the Ontario NDP is committed to restoring our communities and protecting our jobs.
A New Democratic government will amend the Mining Act so resources mined in Ontario cannot be exported if they can be processed in Ontario. The NDP will fix forestry tenure rules to give communities more control over wood allocations while eliminating uncertainty in the sector.
In communities like Atikokan and Sioux Lookout, the McGuinty Liberals pulled the wood allocation that could one day re-open mills that had closed — and the town had no say in it. The story is the same right across the North.
The North’s natural resources should be creating jobs in the North. Instead of letting companies take our resources and run, we can keep good value-added jobs and industry in Northern communities.
I say Ontario’s natural resources must stay in Ontario to create value-added forestry and mining jobs and give Northern communities and First Nations a chance to share in the prosperity the North creates.
Northern Ontario has been ignored by the McGuinty Liberals and the result has been lost jobs and missed opportunities. It’s time for change that puts Northern jobs first.
Our plan to put communities at the centre of forestry decisions while ending uncertainty in the sector will help sustain and create jobs in hard-hit towns.
Ontario will be going to the polls on October 6. In this election, you can stick with the same tired choices that you know don’t work. Lets stop making our lives more expensive and the province less fair. We can pick change that puts people first.
Steve Mantis
NDP Candidate
Thunder Bay Superior North
