Proposed MPP committee could help with northern alienation – (CBC Sudbury News – February 28, 2012)

http://www.cbc.ca/sudbury/

Stan Sudol, a long-time mining issues writer, said
a special legislative body isn’t the answer and
suggested there’s already enough representation
both federally and provincially.

“We shouldn’t need to do this,” Sudol said. “We have
two prominent northerners — Rick Bartolucci from
Northern Development and Mines and Claude Gravelle
from Natural Resources — who are the chief voices
of northern Ontario at the cabinet table.”

Timiskaming-Cochrane New Democrat MPP John Vanthof hopes minority government will help give life to motion

The issue of northern alienation is being raised once again in Queen’s Park.

Timiskaming-Cochrane New Democrat MPP John Vanthof is calling on MPPs to support a bill that would create a new legislative committee comprised of just northern MPPs.

Timiskaming-Cochrane New Democrat MPP John VanthofVanthof said, although this isn’t the first time MPPs have expressed concern about northern alienation, he said this time is different. He said he is counting on the reality of a minority government to make things better for the north.

“In a minority government, everyone has a voice,” Vanthof said. “And that’s why were using this opportunity to try and get northern ontario a fair voice in the legislature.”

Vanthof’s motion tabled Monday proposes the creation of a legislative committee comprised of all the MPPs north of the French River.

The committee would examine bills that impact northern Ontario and make recommendations.

Enough voices already
He noted that policy developed in the south often has a negative impact in the north.

“All the northern MPPs, regardless of party, they’re all good guys, and they all know the problems,” Vanthof said. “But for some reason, we can’t — as a unified body — bring those problems to legislation.”

Stan Sudol, a long-time mining issues writer, said a special legislative body isn’t the answer and suggested there’s already enough representation both federally and provincially.

“We shouldn’t need to do this,” Sudol said. “We have two prominent northerners — Rick Bartolucci from Northern Development and Mines and Claude Gravelle from Natural Resources — who are the chief voices of northern Ontario at the cabinet table.”

The legislature is expected to vote on the bill Thursday.