The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
Northern Ontario groups are stepping up the pressure on Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci and the Liberal government for a decision to get rid of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.
On Friday, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities issued a statement critical of Bartolucci, following a meeting Thursday with Northern Ontario mayors at his Sudbury office. Bartolucci is also the minister of Northern Development and Mines.
Also Friday, a group representing unionized employees at Ontario Northland took their displeasure to Premier Dalton McGuinty’s doorstep, protesting at his constituency office and law firm in Ottawa.
“As the premier has so far refused to meet with anyone from the North on this important issue, we thought we would save him the trip and travel to his home town to voice our displeasure with his government’s ill-advised decision to sell off Ontario Northland,” Brian Kelly, a spokesperson for the General Chairperson’s Association, said in a release.
“We had requested a meeting for today with the premier, but instead of meeting with the premier we were told that we could only meet with his assistant. As is his usual response to Northern issues, Mr. McGuinty simply is too busy to meet with Northerners.”
While he didn’t have to deal with Ontario Northland protesters, Bartolucci did have to deal with unhappy Northern Ontario mayors fighting to save the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.
“We met with the minister who is supposed to be responsible for Northern development,” Alan Spacek, the federation’s president, said in a release.
“Instead, this minister has confirmed the McGuinty government’s intention to unilaterally divest a valuable public asset — the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission”.
“Without consulting Northern Ontario municipalities or industries, Minister Bartolucci has essentially put a great Northern asset up for a fire sale,” Spacek said.
“We realize the status quo at the (Ontario Northland Transportation Commission) is not acceptable and have offered to work with the province many, many times to help put the organization on a better footing,” he said.
“We want the opportunity to be given to us to consider options and alternatives to maximize the return on this great Northern asset.
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