Thunder Bay – POLITICS – Yuk-Sem Won, Thunder Bay-Rainy River , says, “ Everyone in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario deserves the chance to thrive and prosper here. But too often that’s a lot harder than it has to be. It’s time we were represented by MPs who understand that we can do better. I’m proud to have chosen Thunder Bay – Rainy River as my home, and I’m proud to call the people here my neighbours. And I’ll fight for all of us to have the opportunities and the future every Canadian deserves.”
Committing to create and support good jobs, protect communities from the effects of climate change, and put reconciliation into action, New Democrats shared their commitments today, to make life better and more affordable for families across Northern Ontario.
NDP candidates Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay), Carol Hughes (Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing), Nadia Verrelli (Sudbury) and Andréane Chénier (Nickel Belt) launched the NDP’s Northern platform in Sudbury on Wednesday.
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, families in Northern Ontario were struggling from decades of Liberal and Conservative cuts to services,” says Angus. “Instead of helping Northerners get through this pandemic, Justin Trudeau called an early election to help himself. Northern Ontarian are ready for better. We need a strong northern team of NDP MPs to stand up for the North.”
“After six years under Justin Trudeau, the cost of living in Northern Ontario keeps going up while the services we need keep getting cut,” said Hughes. “New Democrats will make life more affordable and provide more services families can depend on.”
Chantelle Bryson, Thunder Bay-Superior North states, “The COVID pandemic continues to have devastating impacts on seniors, small businesses, workers, youth and families. Fear, grief, economic and social loss, and uncertainty for the future affect us all. I am committed to guarding against further impacts with responsible emergency planning, continued business and worker supports, affordability of housing and services, and access to meaningful connections and mental health care.”
Janine Seymour, Kenora adds, “The effects of climate change in the Northwest cannot be ignored and action needs to be taken immediately. The NDP’s platform will address preventing further weather-related disasters by working quickly and efficiently in consultation with communities in heavily-forested areas. This includes Indigenous people whose traditional way of life is currently in peril. The NDP will establish an Office of Environmental Justice to examine and address the effects of climate change and to ensure that Métis, First Nations and Inuit peoples are full and equal partners in Canada’s determination to win the battle against climate change.”
New Democrats highlighted five commitments for Northern Ontario:
- Making life affordable - Cover the costs for prescription medication and dental care, reduce the cost of rent and buying a home, bring down cell phone bills and bring in affordable and reliable broadband to all northern communities.
- Strengthening Northern services – Hire more nurses and doctors, protect seniors and workers by taking the profit out of long-term care, and faster and free access to mental health care and addictions services.
- Fighting for jobs and economic growth – Support small businesses and local jobs through the pandemic, ensure an independent FedNor agency is focused on investing in northern economic development and job creation, and prioritize northern steel, lumber, and minerals in infrastructure projects.
- Putting reconciliation into action - Work in partnership with First Nations to pursue reconciliation and foster thriving, resilient communities with strong public services like clean drinking water, quality housing and better health care.
- Acting on climate change – End Trudeau’s record of climate failure and multi-million-dollar subsidies to big oil companies, and instead, invest in communities to respond to wildfires, flooding, and extreme weather events.
