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(CKTG Country 105) Acadia Thunder Bay (CJUK)

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Decision 2022: Del Duca Visits Thunder Bay

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Making Highways 11 and 17 a Class 1 highway in Ontario.

That promise coming from Ontario Liberal party leader Steven Del Duca, who made a few stops in Thunder Bay on Sunday to support Thunder Bay-Superior North candidate Shelby Ch’ng and Thunder Bay-Atikokan candidate Robert Barrett.

“What I learned in my time at the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is that we need to do more to support highway and road safety and maintenance throughout the province, including here in and around Thunder Bay, across the North, across the Northwest,” said Del Duca.

“That’s why we’ve made this decision as part of our platform.”

When asked why he didn’t make the move while he was the Minister of Transportation (2004-2018), Del Duca only said he’s running for Premier and not a senior cabinet member.

A Class 1 designation allows snow removal equipment to be deployed as soon as 2.5 centimetres of snow has fallen and also calls for inspections three times every seven days.

Del Duca began the day at Goods & Co on Red River Road, and then had a private meeting with Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca arriving at Goods & Co on Sunday, May 22, 2022

Del Duca, when discussing the Indigenous portfolio, said under an Ontario government, there would be a minister dedicated to Indigenous reconciliation.

“I think it was a horrible mistake on the part of Ford Progressive Conservatives to get rid of that exclusive and stand alone responsibility given how serious the challenges are,” he said.

Del Duca added that the Liberal plan also promises to build new units of off-reserve Indigenous housing and to include more teachings in history classes on topics like the residential school system.

Before heading to Sudbury, the leader also pledged that residents would pay less at the pumps.

“Ontario Liberals, come July 1, will take 5.7 cents a litre off of the gas tax and 5.3 cents a litre off of the fuel tax to give people immediate relief at the pumps,” said Del Duca.

The Ontario PC Party also vowed a 5.7 cents a litre drop in the gas tax on July 1, while the NDP wants to see the price of fuel regulated through the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) on a weekly basis, instead of gas companies.

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Candidate Profile: Lise Vaugeois

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On June 2nd, Lise Vaugeois will make another attempt to become the Member of Provincial Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North.

She is running for the NDP after losing in the 2018 election to Liberal incumbent Michael Gravelle by just 813 votes.

“I have more experience this time around and I am more confident,” Vaugeois reflected, when asked what’s different this time. “I was ready the last time around, and we came very close to defeating Michael. People like Michael and I like him too. I feel like the NDP is really well positioned this time around. We have had 40 members in opposition that were not able to do nearly as much as they would like to do if they were working with a cooperative government.”

Vaugeois, who is a professor with Lakehead University and also a small business owner, was chosen as the candidate in February.

She feels she would be perfect for the role based on her ability to think on her feet and pivot quickly, which are skills that teachers have.

For the NDP, it’s about putting money back into areas like health care and education.

“We have as many as 45 students in some classes. I think the (PC government) let go between three and four thousand teachers before the (COVID-19) pandemic, and then we get into the pandemic and it has been disastrous for teachers, students and it doesn’t need to be,” Vaugeois added.

Election Day is Thursday, June 2nd

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Candidate Profile: Peng You

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Peng You is looking to do something no member of the Ontario PC Party has done in Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Since the riding was created in 1999 from Port Arthur and Lake Nipigon, Liberal Michael Gravelle has won every election with the Progressive Conservative candidate finishing no higher than third place.

The one-term councillor, who immigrated to Thunder Bay, wants to make history on June 2nd as an elected Member of Provincial Parliament.

While our interview request with You was declined, Alexandra Hilkene did provide some answers to an email sent by Acadia News late last week.

“By listening to constituents and being involved in the issues in our community, Peng understands the unique challenges that we face in the North and also understands what needs to get done to build Thunder Bay,” explained Hilkene, when asked about being an Art-Large councillor in Thunder Bay. “The people of Thunder Bay-Superior North need a plan to rebuild our economy, build infrastructure and keep costs down.”

You was first elected to Thunder Bay City Council in 2018.

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Ch’ng Running In Thunder Bay-Superior North

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Shelby Ch’ng will be making a run for a spot at Queen’s Park.

The current Northwood Councillor will take a leave of absence from her duties to join the provincial election race in Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Ch’ng was first elected in 2014 and won re-election in 2018.

“Thunder Bay is where I’ve lived, worked, and served my entire life,” said Ch’ng. “It’s a diverse, vibrant city with the brightest of futures. I want to continue playing a part in shaping the future of this city I love so much – and so I’m honoured to have this new opportunity to serve my community as their representative at Queen’s Park.”

Incumbent Michael Gravelle is undergoing treatment for cancer and is not running for re-election.

Lise Vaugeois will run for the NDP, current Thunder Bay At Large councillor Peng You is the Ontario PC candidate and Tracey MacKinnon is the Green Party candidate.

Section 259 of the Municipal Act allows for Members of Council to take a leave from their duties for up to 3 months with no penalty.

The election is set for Thursday, June 2nd.

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Gravelle Not Running In June Election

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Thunder Bay-Superior North voters will elect a new member of provincial parliament.

Liberal incumbent Michael Gravelle revealed on Monday he will not run for re-election in June.

Gravelle says he had many discussions with doctors, family, friends and staff about the possibility of putting his name forward again, “To say that this was a difficult decision is a massive understatement, as I had hoped and planned to continue to represent my constituents at Queen’s Park. However, my health, and the treatments I need to undergo in the months ahead have made that plan impossible.”

On April 5th, Gravelle disclosed that his cancer had returned, and he was undergoing treatment.

Lise Vaugeois, who is the NDP candidate for Thunder Bay-Superior North, released this statement:

“I want to wish Michael Gravelle good health, successful treatments and many happy days with his family ahead. I thank him for his many years of service to the community and wish him all the very best.”

Gravelle was first elected in the riding of Port Arthur in 1995 before a name change for the 1999 election.

The next provincial election is set for Thursday, June 2nd.

Other candidates on the ballot include Tracey MacKinnon (Green Party) and Peng You (Ontario PC).

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MacKinnon Running In Thunder Bay-Superior North

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The candidate list is filling up in Thunder Bay-Superior North.

Tracey MacKinnon revealed in a Facebook post on Sunday that she is the Green Party of Ontario (GPO) candidate for the June election.

MacKinnon ran for the federal Green Party in the September 2021 election and was on the ballot in the 2018 Municipal Election.

Lise Vaugeois will run for the NDP in that riding while current Thunder Bay At Large councillor Peng You is the Ontario PC candidate.

Incumbent Michael Gravelle is undergoing treatment for cancer and hopes to make a decision on his candidacy very soon.

The election is set for Thursday, June 2nd.

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Early Covid; A Conversation with Min. Patty Hajdu

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In early 2020, terms like Coronavirus, SARS-coV-2, and Covid-19 were not in the vocabulary of the general public. Little was known about the virus that was making the news across the globe, but it felt far away. Until it wasn’t.

In a matter of weeks, the NBA shut down, travel became restricted, businesses closed up shop, and schools began the longest March break in history. On March 17, 2020 the province declared a state of emergency.

Throughout the pandemic, Canadians have relied heavily on the government to provide updates and guidance on how to navigate their daily lives. The Minister of Health at this time was the Honourable Patty Hajdu. She had recently taken over the hefty portfolio in November 2019, and had a pandemic dropped on her desk shortly thereafter.

Acadia News’ morning reporter, Katie Nicholls, had the chance to speak with the minister about her experience leading in a pandemic, the very large task of keeping Canadians safe & informed, and looking back two years later, if she would’ve done anything differently.

 

Close Call For Ukrainian Resident

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A sleepless night with explosions near his apartment in the western part of Ukraine.

Andrii lives in an apartment complex in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, which is close to the border with Slovakia. He said despite the close call, everyone is safe.

“I did eventually get back to sleep at five in the morning, and didn’t even hear or feel the explosion,” he said.

“My girlfriend’s mother called me and said that they are bombing Kyiv and Kharkiv. After that, I just saw out of my window that the airfield was on fire as well.”

Andrii also noted that there are some in the Russian media that have been referring to the movement as a ‘military exercise’ and that crews just accidentally ended up in Ukraine.

137 lives have been lost since the movement began on February 23rd.

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Ottawa Declares The Emergencies Act

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is invoking the Emergencies Act.

The Act allows the Federal government to have additional powers that would assist with the handling of the protests have that have been happening across Canada.

Originally, the War Measures Act was in it’s place throughout the 1980’s.

It was defined to be used during a national emergency that was considered temporary.

The Prime Minister is able to use this act in scenarios where there is public welfare at risk such as natural disasters, disease, public order disturbances as well as international and war emergencies.

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Extending Proof Of Vaccination Requirements

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The Ontario government is taking more action to limit the spread of COVID-19 as we see the Omicron variant continue to be a growing concern.

Beginning Jan. 4, all vaccine certificates must have a QR code, in an attempt to prevent false proof.

Along with this, proof of vaccine requirements have been extended and will be going indefinitely. They were originally set to expire Jan. 17, 2022.

“As we continue to learn more about the Omicron variant, we are taking additional measures to protect our progress as we head into the winter months,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Getting vaccinated and adhering to public health and workplace safety measures will continue to protect us and our loved ones against COVID and variants, but we won’t hesitate to continue to take swift action to ensure the continued health and safety of all Ontarians.”

While Ontario has lower weekly case incidence rates than the national average, there has been a gradual increase over the past few weeks.

Below is a full list of the expanded measures:

  • Delaying the lifting of proof of vaccination requirements beyond January 17, 2022, aligned with the reopening plan that stipulated that doing so was contingent on the absence of concerning trends.
  • Effective January 4, 2022, requiring the use of the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code and the Verify Ontario app in settings where proof of vaccination is required. The QR code can be used digitally or by printing a paper copy. Individuals can download their enhanced certificate with QR code by visiting https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/.
  • Strengthening the verification process for medical exemptions and clinical trial exemptions by requiring a certificate with a QR code. Organizations and businesses that are under the provincial proof-of-vaccination system will be advised to no longer accept physician notes as of January 10, 2022.
  • Effective December 20, 2021, requiring proof of vaccination for youth aged 12 to 17 years participating in organized sports at recreational facilities.
  • On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontarians are strongly advised to limit their social gatherings and the number of gatherings they attend over the holiday season. Additional precautions should be taken if all individuals are not fully vaccinated or where vaccination status is unknown. Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.

The Ontario government stressed in a press release that vaccinations are still the primary way of preventing the spread of COVID-19.