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Another Conservative MP joins the Liberals

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The newest member of the federal Liberals is Matt Jeneroux.

He crossed the floor from the Conservatives to join Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government, according to a social media post from Carney.

Jeneroux represents the riding of Edmonton Riverbend, Alberta.

The MP previously announced his resignation in November but did not say he planned to join the governing party.

At the time, Jeneroux said it was not an easy decision, but he believed it was the right one.

“I ran in the last election hopeful that Canadians would put their faith in a team led by Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives, offering a chance to change Canada’s perception in our own country and around the world,” said Jeneroux. “I wanted desperately to play a role in that vision.”

This came after Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont crossed the floor to the Liberals that same month.

However, the Liberal Party is still shy of enough seats to have a majority government.

More to come…

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Major test for Carney government: final budget vote happens Monday night

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In just a few hours, the government will decide the fate of Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals.

The minority government needs some opposition support to pass their proposed federal budget—and to avoid another federal election.

Recently a Conservative MP resigned his seat and another joined the Liberals.

That means they only need two opposition members to abstain or vote in favour.

Green leader Elizabeth May will vote yes to avoid an election, according to reports. However, it is unclear what the NDP will do.

If the budget does not pass, it will likely send us back to the polls.

The vote happens this evening.

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Leaders Head into the Final Week of Campaign

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PC leader Doug Ford says he’s campaigning like he’s in last place.

The latest polls show Ford with a sizeable lead over the Liberals and NDP.

Ford is not putting solace in those polls.

“I always say the only poll that counts is on Election Day. We always run like we’re in last place. I tell our team run like we’re in last place. Don’t stop door knocking all the way up to June 2,” says Ford.

Ford does make one Election Day prediction.

He believes Liberal leader Steven Del Duca will lose out on his bid to win a seat at Queen’s Park.

Del Duca is quick to disagree.

He says his party is emerging as the only clear alternative to Ford.

He also accuses the PC leader of wanting to privatize public services if given a second mandate.

“He wants to destroy the core public services that are the foundation of everything we stand on in this province. He wants to privatize, so he doesn’t want to come out of the bubble. He doesn’t want to have to admit that he is determined to take a wrecking ball to everything Ontarians hold dear. We’re not going to let him,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says the biggest fraud during the 2018 election was Ford claiming he was ‘for the people.’

NDP leader Andrea Horwath continues to sell her party as the only one that will fix the things that are broken in Ontario.

Horwath focused on long-term care and the pandemic on Tuesday.

“And now is our chance. Now is our chance to finally fix what’s been going wrong in long-term care. And we are the only, I’m the only premier that will actually do that,” says Horwath.

One of her promises is to reinstate family members’ right to take private long-term care operators to court over the deaths of their loved ones during the pandemic.

Ford removed that right in legislation passed during the pandemic.

Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is saying, ‘Yes, in my backyard.’

He promises to extend zoning regulations to allow for multi-plex housing units in all residential areas and permit affordable housing projects on former industrial sites.

“We urgently need to take a ‘yes in my backyard’ approach to housing where we creatively make use of existing space and built-up areas to increase the supply of homes,” says Schreiner.

Schreiner also proposes an initiative to address NIMBYism and raise awareness of the importance of middle, mid-rise and community housing developments.

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Labour Movement Split on Leader Support

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NDP leader Andrea Horwath is committed to making her proposal to implement a universal pharmacare program a priority.

Horwath says it will be one of the first things she does if her party forms the next provincial government.

“This plan is something that we will implement immediately upon forming government in a couple of weeks time and provide not only that relief, but that security that you can get the prescriptions that you need,” says Horwath.

Howarth says her plan will save families an average of $350 each year.

Election polls put the NDP in third place, behind the PCs and Liberals.

Leader Andrea Horwath brushes off the notion that achieves her goal of forming the government, a coalition with the other parties is needed.

“I’m running for premier, and I’m running to have a majority government because people need to have hope that the things that matter most to them can actually be fixed, and that’s what this campaign is all about.”

Horwath continues to campaign on that the fact that her party is in the best position to unseat Doug Ford.”

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca is proposing a top-up of employment insurance benefits for workers taking parental leave.

The federal government allows for an eighteen-month leave, but benefits received are lower when spread over that period.

Del Duca says his plan would add to those benefits.

“This kind of plan, topping up and fully funding an 18-month parental leave program, could put up to $255 back in the pockets of Ontario families each and every single week,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says he would also work with the feds to help the self-employed, contract and gig workers receive benefits they currently don’t qualify.

Del Duca was also dogged by reporters’ questions about the qualification and qualities of certain candidates the NDP has raised.

The Liberal leader says he’s not playing the political games being played by other party leaders, calling them desperation tactics.

“I’m disappointed to hear that Ms. Horvath and her team want to continue to focus on attacking me and Ontario Liberals instead of trying to take the fight to Doug Ford. Ontario Liberals will remain exclusively focused on making sure that Doug Ford’s first term in office is his last.”

Del Duca’s also sidestepped questions about his political future if he doesn’t form government.

PC leader Doug Ford campaigned in Hamilton to recognize two more trade union endorsements.

“I’m so grateful for the support of these unions and workers across Ontario, and I want our workers to know that I’ll always have your back,” says Ford

He’s received endorsements from five unions in the past week.

Ford says trade unions have given up on the NDP and leader Andrea Horwath, he continues to call anti-building everything.

“She’s anti-building anything, anti-building housing, anti-building highways, anti-building roads. Horvath would rather sit there on a picket line with their signs protesting a build than actually getting it done.”

Horwarth says she’s not concerned with the trade union endorsement of the PC leader Doug Ford.

She doesn’t see Ford being a friend of working people.

“We know whose side Doug Ford is on. We know his cuts hurt people, and we know he is not a friend of working people, hasn’t been, won’t be, pretending to be now, maybe, but that’s not who Doug Ford is,” says Horwath.

Horwarth points to endorsements from the Ontario Federation of Labour and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union that show labour still supports the NDP.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation is throwing its support being Mike Schreiner and the Green Party in the provincial election.

It’s the first time the union has endorsed the Greens.

President Karen Littlewood says Schreiner’s education platform reflects much of what they want to be addressed.

“Mike consulted with us over the education platform, and he’s really encapsulated well. It is about improving the lives of Ontarians. This is not just education, this is communities. This is public services,” says Littlewood.

Littlewood says with 60-thousand plus members, the weight of the endorsement can have a difference at the polls on June 2.

“I’ve worked hard prior to being elected and since being elected to earn your trust, to build a working relationship with you so that we can stand up and fight for better public education,” says Schreiner in recognizing the endorsement.

 

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Labour Headlines Leaders’ Travels

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PC leader Doug Ford is getting some unexpected support from labour.

Four trade unions have come out in support of the Progressive Conservatives in recent days.

In acknowledging the support, Ford was asked about public sector workers and the wage restrictions they are currently under.

“When that lapses, I think the first ones in August, we’re going to sit down, and we’re going to treat them fairly. With the nurses, we gave them a 7.6% on the average increase in the $5000 bonus. I think the world of them. The PSWs, I’ve always said they’re underpaid, overworked,” says Ford.

Ford says he would also address the issue of paid sick days once the worse of the pandemic is behind us.

Photo courtesy Ontario Liberal Party/Facebook

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca wants to explore a four-day workweek if he forms the next provincial government.

Del Duca says he’s set up a demonstration project.

“To see how a four-day workweek might, in fact, do for workers and their families what they crave, what they want, which is the ability to, once again, have some kind of reasonable work-life balance,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says he would also reinstate the Basic Income Pilot Project that Ford cancelled immediately after the 2018 election.

Supplied by Green Party of Ontario

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner is trying to build momentum for his party coming out of Monday’s leader’s debate.
Schreiner appealed to young voters during a campaign stop in Toronto.

“I want you to know that in the Ontario Green Party, you have a party that has your back. It is all about empowering youth to have a stronger political voice in this province,” says Schreiner.

Schreiner wants to lower the voting age to 16.

Photo courtesy Ontario NDP Party/Facebook

More school support staff if the NDP forms the next provincial government.

The NDP says it will earmark $4.8 billion over the next three years on school maintenance.

Leader Andrea Horwath says $467 million is directed toward staffing.

“We are going to hire an extra custodian for every single school. We are going to bring more maintenance people online in the schools to ensure that we keep up with the repairs,” says Horwath.

Horwath blames the Liberals and PCs for creating a $16.8 billion backlog in repairs to schools.

She also dismissed questions about her political future, saying she will never give up on fighting for people.

Recent polls have her party trailing the PCs and Liberals.

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Liberals/Greens Release Separate Northern Ontario Platforms

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Two more of the provincial party leaders have unveiled their campaign platforms specific to northern Ontario.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca’s promises include the creation of a Ministry of Immigration to help bring newcomers to the north to work and live.

“We will work with the federal government, seeking a mandate from the people of this province to make sure that Ontario is in the driver’s seat when it comes to our own immigration system.,” says Del Duca.

Del Duca says he will also create an advisory plan to ensure the new Ministry is established in the best interest of the north.

Other promises for northern Ontario include;

  • Ensuring everyone can access a family doctor or nurse practitioner within 24 hours, regardless of their postal code;
  • Covering tuition costs for medical and nursing students who commit to working in a rural or remote community;
  • Getting affordable, high-speed internet to everyone in Northern Ontario by 2025;
  • Constructing new roads to open up access to the Ring of Fire;
  • Supporting and empowering Northern municipalities by rebating 5% of the provincial mining tax;
  • Making Community Transportation Grants permanent and slashing municipal and Ontario Northland fares to a “buck-a-ride;”
  • Promoting economic development and regional tourism by boosting funding for the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to $150 million;
  • Building or repairing Northern community infrastructure, like libraries and arenas;
  • Advancing the proven “2+1” highway model to support safe passing on major Northern Ontario highways;
  • Ensuring the highest possible level of winter maintenance on Highways 11 and 17;
  • Promoting safer winter driving by introducing a refundable tax credit of $75 per winter tire and $100 per studded tire in Northern Ontario; and
  • Reversing Ford Conservative cuts and delays to critical Northern services and projects, and ensuring the following projects move ahead:
    • The four-laning of Highway 69 and Highway 11/7 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon by 2025;
    • The widening of Highway 17 from Kenora to the Manitoba border;
    • The reconstruction of Highway 101 in Timmins;
    • The Cochrane bypass from Highway 11 to Highway 652.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner also unveiled his plans for northern Ontario on Tuesday.

Photo supplied by Green Party of Ontario

“Ontario’s Greens have your back. We have a vision for the north to be prosperous, to be a leader in the new climate economy, to create the new career and job opportunities people in the north need to succeed,” says Schreiner.

The Green’s plan focus on seven key areas

1) Create good green jobs in the North

  • Increase sustainable, circular and Indigenous-led access to critical minerals and metals while fully adhering to principles of UNDRIP
  • Maximize job and economic benefits for Northern communities by removing barriers to mass timber building

2) Expand access to quality healthcare in Northern communities

  • Make dedicated investments in Nurse Practitioner-led clinics in the North where improved access to primary care is critical

3) Invest in a mental health and addictions strategy

  • Build at least 4,000 supportive homes and 6,000 affordable community rental homes for Northern communities
  • Implement the Ontario Greens’ Addiction Strategy to address the drug poisoning crisis that has disproportionately affected Northern communities

4) Improve funding for education and French language access

  • Support the University of Sudbury in transforming into a university by and for Francophones

5) Protect Ontario’s natural heritage

  • Provide $1B in funding to First Nations communities to support Indigenous-protected and conserved areas and Indigenous-led climate solutions

6) Partner with Indigenous communities

  • Invest in the creation of 14,000 Indigenous-led affordable homes in Northern Ontario communities

7) Improve connections to the North

  • Immediately restore and improve the Northlander passenger rail service between Toronto and Cochrane with funding for upfront capital costs of $220 million as well as annual operating subsidies of $12 million
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Liberals Name Candidate for Kenora-Rainy River

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The Liberals finally have a candidate in the riding of Kenora-Rainy River.

Officials with the provincial party tell Acadia Broadcasting that Anthony Leek of Kenora will carry the party’s colours.

The former Emo resident now lives in Kenora where he works as an educator and is the promotor of Lake of the Woods Speedway.

This is the third election for Leek, who is also the president of the local riding association.

He ran for the Liberals in 2011 and 2014, finishing third both times.

Leek is the riding’s sixth candidate.

He will join on the ballot PC incumbent Greg Rickford, JoAnne Formanek Gustafson for the NDP, Green Party candidate Catherine Kievning, Kelvin Boucher-Chicago of the New Blue Party and Richard Jonasson of the Consensus Ontario Party.

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Leaders to Debate in North Bay

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Ontario’s party leaders will gather in North Bay today.

They are taking part in a debate as part of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities conference.

Northern issues are expected to play prominently.

The questions are coming from municipal leaders in northeastern Ontario.

It will be the first debate for the leaders of the PC, Liberal, NDP and Green parties since the election was called.

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Ford Insists Opioid Crisis Being Addressed

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PC leader Doug Ford is defending his party’s record when it comes to the opioid crisis in northern Ontario.

Several communities have seen a rise in overdoses and related-death in the last few years.

Speaking yesterday in Timmins, Ford says tackling the issue has been a priority.

“Actually, we are getting it done. We’re the only government that made sure we had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. We’ve done the largest investment in Canadian history of $3.8 billion,” says Ford.

He says that is far and above what the Liberals did when they were in power.

“They did absolutely nothing. They never had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. They didn’t put a red cent into mental health and addiction. We’re putting $3.8 billion. I understand it’s an issue here, and we’re going to continue investing and make sure that we help people that have an addiction or have any mental health issues.”

The budget brought forward before the election call included an investment of $204 million into mental health programs.

Recently, a report issued by the Northern Policy Institute presented to local leaders concluded that local municipalities are finding themselves cash strapped in dealing with homelessness, addictions and mental issues.

Analyst and Author Holly Parsons, “All health units in northern Ontario have seen a general increase in opioid-related emergency department visits, with more drastic increases experienced in Northwest Health Unit, Porcupine Health Unit and Public Health Sudbury and District.”

Parsons makes eight recommendations, including creating a northern mental health and addictions centre of excellence to address the unique challenges of service delivery in the region.

She stresses one-size-fits-all policies and standardized systems of care don’t always work up here.

It was a quiet day for the other provincial party leaders on Sunday.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath hosted a Mother’s Day brunch in Ayr.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner held private meetings with residents in his riding of Guelph.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca opted to do no campaigning on Mother’s Day.

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Climate change key takeaway from federal leaders’ debate

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The stakes were high as the five major party leaders fought to earn your vote.

Climate change, reconciliation, and Afghanistan were key themes during Thursday night’s leaders debate.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole slammed Justin Trudeau for calling an election as the deadline to withdraw troops loomed.

Meantime, Trudeau took a shot at the Conservatives over their position on climate change.

“You can’t have a strong economy unless you tackle climate change,” Trudeau said. “Mr. O’Toole can’t even convince his party that climate change is real because they voted against that.”

Trudeau was pointing to the Conservative party’s convention earlier this year when members voted down inserting wording in their policies that climate change is real.

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole admitted his party came up short on its climate plan heading into the last election.

“We put our plan out in April because we had to restore some trust on this issue to make sure we can show Canadians we can get emissions down and get the economy working again,” said O’Toole. “That is key.”

Meantime, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says Indigenous people have been let down too often.

“How do you restore trust in a country as wealthy as ours that still does not provide clean drinking water to every single Indigenous nation?,” Singh asked. “It starts by actually walking the path of reconciliation. Not with empty words, but real action.”

Green Party Leader Annamie Paul says she wants Indigenous people to be able to make decisions for themselves.

Election Day is September 20.

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