ONTC: ‘Darkest day’: Union, leaders react to news – by Gord Young (North Bay Nugget- March 24, 2012)

http://www.nugget.ca/

The province has dealt a devastating blow to the entire North with its plan to sell off the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, says a union spokesman.

“It’s unbelievable . . . this is the darkest day at the ONTC,” said Brian Kelly Friday, shortly after plans were announced to divest the Crown corporation. “This is the wrong decision.”

The news was delivered by Northern Development Minister Rick Bartolucci via teleconference from Sudbury.

The Polar Bear Express which travels between Cochrane and Moosonee will continue to operate, while the Northlander train service between Toronto and Cochrane will be cancelled and replaced with bus service. Ferry services between Moosonee and Moose Factory will be consolidated with other provincial ferry services.

The ONTC is headquartered in North Bay and employes 956 people across the North.

The province says it can no longer afford to pour money into the operation, because demand for its services has stagnated.

According to the government, funding for the ONTC has increased to $103 million this year compared to $28 million in 2003-04.

Kelly, chairman of the General Chairpersons’ Association representing all unions at the ONTC, took aim at the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, saying there is too much interference with the operation.

“This is an indictment of the bureaucrats at MNDM who screwed this place up,” said Kelly, suggesting government has acted as a barrier and failed to allow the Crown corporation to operate competitively.

Within two hours of the announcement, an emergency meeting involving the city, union officials and community leaders had been called.

Kelly emerged from the meeting with Mayor Al McDonald and John Strang, president of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, calling on the province to “take the handcuffs off” and give the unions and management an opportunity to table a plan to better operate the business.

“They know how to operate this business. They haven’t been given the opportunity,” said McDonald, warning residents of Northeastern Ontario the divestment will impact their lives. “The North deserves a fair chance.”

As a whole, the group noted Northern Ontario tax dollars are used to subsidize infrastructure and transportation services elsewhere including Ottawa Transit, Toronto Transit Commission and Metrolinx.

The group contends the North deserves the same treatment.

“We’re not asking for the cash to keep on coming. But there’s a certain amount of capital expenditure that has to be put into the infrastructure of Ontario Northland,” said Kelly, noting the government has made investments in those other organizations. “Unlike them, we have go through a bureaucracy that ties our hands in trying to develop a plan that works for the North.”

Kelly said the ONTC should be moved under the authority of the Ministry of Transportation.

“Anybody trying to paint this up as a positive economically for all the communities of Northern Ontario is dreaming in Technicolor,” said Kelly. “They can’t use the deficit as an excuse to get out of their commitment to the North.”

For the rest of this article, please go to the North Bay Nugget website: http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3510771