Northern Ontario Separation and Alienation – Page 16

Wanted: New deal – by PJ WILSON, QMI AGENCY (Sudbury Star – May 18, 2012)

May 18, 2012

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

NORTH BAY — Northern Ontarians will be able to let the provincial government know where they stand on the ONTC divestment.

A partnership between the Northern Communities Working Group and the Northern Regional Publishing Group of Sun Media is giving residents of the North their chance to get a new deal for Ontario Northland.

The 11 Sun Media newspapers in Northeastern Ontario — The Nugget, Sudbury Star, Sault Star, Timmins Daily Press, Cochrane Times Post, Elliot Lake Standard, Kapuskasing Northern Times, Espanola Mid-North Monitor and Kirkland Lake Northern News — will run ads and window inserts calling for a New Deal for Ontario Northland.

“We are looking to show the government that there is support for a new deal for Ontario Northland and that Northerners expect the premier … to come to the North and meet with Northern mayors,” said North Bay Mayor Al McDonald.

He said mayors across the North have been trying to meet with Premier Dalton McGuinty since the March 23 announcement the province would divest Ontario Northland, but “the premier refuses to meet with the mayors.”

Private sector will provide ONTC services – by Rick Bartolucci – Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines (May 18, 2012)

May 18, 2012

Our government’s decision to divest the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission was a difficult one that was made after careful deliberation. No other government has done more than ours to try to make the ONTC viable.

We have invested more than $430 million to date — almost three times the funding provided by the last two governments combined. And while our support has increased, revenues generated by ONTC continue to decline and ridership is stagnant at best.

At a time when governments all over the world — including Ontario — are financially stretched to the limit, we must focus our limited resources on priorities such as education and health care.

And for Northern Ontario, we need to protect the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, which is a known job creator for every community along the Highway 11 corridor and, in fact, all of Northern Ontario.

I know the divestment decision has caused some uncertainty for passengers and ONTC employees in the 13 communities with ONTC operations. Given the longstanding presence of the ONTC along the Highway 11 corridor, I understand the emotional reaction this has provoked and the concern of workers with regard to next steps.

We take our responsibilities very seriously when it comes to consulting with our First Nations partners – Dalton McGuinty – by James Murray (NetNewsLedger – May 16, 2012)

May 17, 2012

http://netnewsledger.com/

QUEEN’S PARK – The battle over who is listening is being fought in Queen’s Park. During Question Period today, the NDP leader Andrea Horwath was up questioning the Premier on the differences between the Ontario government and the First Nations over the Ring of Fire.

Howath asked Premier Dalton McGuinty, “Last week, the government assured this Legislature and the public that First Nations partners were being properly consulted about development in the Ring of Fire. Today, we’re hearing a very different story from the Neskantaga First Nation, whose legal counsel asserts that the government breached its legal duty to consult. Why has this government shown no serious willingness—and those are the First Nations’ words—to address the concerns of Neskantaga and other Mattawa First Nations?”

The Premier responded, “I just want to say that we take our responsibilities very seriously when it comes to consulting with our First Nations partners. We understand there is legal obligation there, but we also feel a sense of responsibility, on behalf of all Ontarians, to make sure that we are working with our First Nations partners, especially when it comes to exciting new opportunities to be found in the Ring of Fire. I know that specific efforts were made to reach out to those communities in the past. We will continue to find ways to move forward.

North [Ontario] gets chill from McGuinty – by Brian MacLeod (Sudbury Star – May 17, 2012)

May 17, 2012

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper and Brian MacLeod is the managing editor. brian.macleod@sunmedia.ca

Northern Ontario has never been homogeneous. Its vast geography and the rivalries among municipalities make it a hard political animal to tame.

And that makes life difficult for Premier Dalton McGuinty. Developments over the last couple of years show that. The closure of Xstrata’s Kidd Creek Metallurgical plant in Timmins in 2010 saw 600 jobs lost as the work moved to Quebec, in large part because of the high cost of power in Ontario.

In March, the government announced it will privatize the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission — which provides some rail, bus and communications services in the North — putting 1,000 jobs in question. And last week, Cliffs Natural Resources, the U.S. firm that’s first in developing the massive Ring of Fire chromite deposit in northwestern Ontario, announced it would build its ferrochrome smelter in Sudbury, bringing about 450 jobs.

From Queen’s Park – We need to make the right decisions on the Ring of Fire – by Sarah Campbell, Kenora-Rainy River MPP (NetNewsledger.com – May 13, 2012)

May 16, 2012

http://netnewsledger.com/

QUEEN’S PARK – LEADER’S LEDGER – Last week Cliffs Natural Resources announced its plans to locate a chromite smelter, which will be used to process raw ore from the Ring of Fire, in Sudbury.

While many are disappointed that the smelter, and 450 potential jobs, will be located in Sudbury, Cliffs Natural Resources is a privately owned company and the decision, with its estimated $1.8 billion price tag, is theirs to make.

That said, I have concerns with the way this process was handled by the provincial government, not only in its failure to involve regional leaders but also in the fact that there appears to be many side deals that have been made but not announced.

The fact is, the government needs to be the party facilitating a cooperative approach, to ensure the potential of the Ring of Fire project is maximized. By leaving community leaders out of the first stage of planning, and making decisions without them, they risk making the wrong decisions.

While the only firm commitment that has been announced is the location of the smelter, the fact that this decision was made in the backroom leaves us to guess as to what other promises have been made.

Will the Ring of Fire lead to a new Northwestern Ontario territory? – by James Murray (Netnewsledger.com – May 16, 2012)

May 16, 2012

http://netnewsledger.com/

THUNDER BAY – Editorial – Will the Ring of Fire lead to a new Northwestern Ontario territory? In the Ontario Legislature on Tuesday the issue of mining and the Ring of Fire was discussed. Sarah Campbell went so far as to state in the legislature, “This government must start representing our needs and interests today; otherwise, its not just Cliffs that will receive an eviction notice from the northwest, it will be the government of Ontario”.

This is the first time in recent memory that the subject of Northwestern Ontario as a separate political entity from the rest of Ontario has been raised.

It demonstrates the degree of frustration and the depth of growing anger over how the McGuinty government is treating the region.

Campbell stated in a members statement read in Queen’s Park, “While Cliffs made a business decision to process northwestern Ontario resources in northeastern Ontario, which is its right, this government has no excuse for failing in its duty to involve northerners in the process. While the government is silent on many details, it is clear that this government has made commitments without involving municipal leaders or First Nations.

[Northern Ontario Alienation] Forget flying flag half mast … it’s time to light a match – by Wayne Snider (Timmins Daily Press – May 11, 2012)

May 12, 2012

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

At a time provincial Liberal cabinet ministers are strutting around the south — their chests all puffed out with pride — bragging about all the good they are doing for Northern Ontario, mayors from across the region are doing their damnedest to let everyone know the real reason behind such upper body over-inflation.

The government is full of hot air.

One day after Ohio-based Cliffs Resources announced it will invest $1.8 billion to build a chromite processing facility in Capreol — creating hundreds of direct jobs in the process — municipal leaders were calling the government out on Northern issues.

Kapuskasing Mayor Al Spacek, president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), and Timmins Mayor Tom Laughren, chairman of the Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association (NEOMA), were front and centre at meetings in North Bay this week with other Northern political and business leaders. They were hell bent on spreading the word.

First Nation leaders threaten to pull support for Ring of Fire – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – May 11, 2012)

May 12, 2012

http://www.wawataynews.ca/

First Nation leaders are threatening to pull support for mining in the Ring of Fire, after Cliffs Resources’ announced it plans to locate its chromite processing plant in Sudbury.

Cliffs announced on May 9 that the mining company will go ahead with the $3.3 billion Ring of Fire project, which includes the chromite mine east of Webequie, a transportation route running south from the mine site to connect to highway 17 near Aroland, and a ferrochrome processing plant in Sudbury.

The decision goes against the wishes of First Nations and municipal leaders in northwestern Ontario, who wanted to see the processing plant located in Greenstone.

“It’s obvious the province and Cliffs haven’t been listening to First Nations, and what their concerns and their aspirations are,” said Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Terry Waboose. “Today is a classic example of development going ahead without adequate consultation, input and consent from our First Nations.”

[Northern Ontario] Mayors fed up – by By Gord Young, QMI Agency (Timmins Daily Press – May 11, 2012)

May 11, 2012

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Frustration boils over at FONOM conference

Frustration turned to anger Thursday as municipal politicians from across Northern Ontario screamed outrage over the provincial government’s silence regarding the divestment of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.

Municipalities and chambers of commerce from across the North were urged to lower their Ontario flags to half mast as disenfranchised and fed up mayors demanded a new deal for Ontario Northland.

“You have ignored the North for too long. You have taken us for granted. And we won’t stand for it any longer,” said North Bay Mayor Al McDonald, during a news conference involving politicians and business leaders representing just about every community in Northern Ontario.

The event, held in the midst of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) conference in North Bay, saw mayor after mayor slam the provincial government for leaving Northerners out of its decisions.

Safer Railways Act [Northern Ontario History] – Charlie Angus M.P. Ontario, Timmins—James Bay (Hansard -May 1, 2012)

May 4, 2012

Charlie Angus’ commentary was given inside Canada’s Parliament on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 1:05 pm.

Mr. Speaker, it is always a great honour to rise in this House and speak on behalf of the people of Timmins—James Bay, a region that exists because of the railway.

It is also important to talk about this bill on safer railways at a time when we have so many issues facing railways in Canada. It is clear that if we look at the simple test for whether government has vision, whether government understands the issue of infrastructure, whether government has a forward-looking vision, we look no further than rail. Rail has been the kicking dog of Liberal and Conservative governments looking to squeeze it, to undermine it, to so-called privatize it, and we have seen a continuing loss of service while the rest of the world moves forward with smart high-speed rail.

Just this past February, when the VIA Rail train derailed at Burlington, we had three people killed and 42 passengers injured. We see the $200 million in cuts that are coming to VIA Rail now under the Conservatives. We see the undermining of rail links in important jurisdictions across rural Canada like Churchill, Manitoba. We see the government’s complete lack of interest in the importance of a high-speed rail corridor that would connect Windsor to Quebec City through our densest populations and allow people who are pretty much trapped because of the density of traffic in the suburban regions of this country to be able to move at a reasonable rate.

[Northern Ontario] Getting rail-roaded again – SOAPBOXING – by Dave Dale (North Bay Nugget – May 3, 2012)

May 4, 2012

http://www.nugget.ca/

Charlie Angus might be a natural front runner for the first premier of Northern Ontario — if the often knee-jerk fascination with separating the province materializes some day.

Comments by the NDP MP for Timmins-James Bay in the House of Commons Tuesday demonstrated an impressive grip on history, politics and the potential mishandling of a major economic opportunity.

Angus was speaking during a debate over federal rail safety legislation, which opened a window for him to touch on the ominous threat facing the Ontario Northland Railway.

Some people are already tired of the the topic. They don’t want to hear another word about the Ontario government’s intention of selling off Ontario Northland Transportation Commission assets. Protesting what they consider inevitable is a waste of their time.

Even those who make a living commenting publicly about news events have to fight off the urge to yawn when community leaders huddle over strategic communication campaigns.

Ontario’s economy is struggling and politicians dance – by James Murray (Netnewsledger.com – April 30, 2012)

May 1, 2012

http://netnewsledger.com/

THUNDER BAY – EDITORIAL – Ontario’s economy is struggling, and the real impacts of those struggles are not yet being felt. Our Ontario has seen years of government living beyond its means, along with years of outright denial that this is a problem. It is, and it is one that is going to take a generation to get over at the least. Ontario is likely to lag behind more prosperous provinces, and likely will continue to do so for some time.

Ontario’s deficit is the real elephant in the room. Should interest rates climb from their current levels, our government will have to spend massive amounts of money just to pay for what we already, as a province, have spent. Standard and Poor’s has fired a salvo across our province’s economic bow saying how potentially vulnerable Ontario really is.

Solving the problems is going to take some real effort and some really hard work. It won’t be easy. Right now, sadly, at the provincial level, there really isn’t anyone stepping up with real plans to make a real difference.

Premier Dalton McGuinty has a ham-fisted death grip on maintaining the status quo. Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is opposing rather than leading.

[Kenora] Bear Pit’ session addresses Ring of Fire, Tourist Information Centres, education and infrastructure – by Reg Clayton (Lake of the Woods Enterprise – April 28, 2012)

April 29, 2012

http://www.lotwenterprise.com/

Provincial cabinet ministers field hard ball questions pitched by NOMA delegates

Delegates grilled three Ontario cabinet ministers and a parliamentary assistant on progress with the Ring of Fire, the closure of regional Tourist Information Centres, education and training initiaitvies and infrastructure funding at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) annual meeting in Kenora, Friday, April 27.

NOMA president Ron Nelson served as moderator for the minister’s forum comprised of Natural Resources Minister Michael Gravelle, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Glen Murray and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines Bill Mauro.

The ministers responded to ‘Bear Pit’ questions posed by municipal delegates regarding the apparent lack of progress on the Ring of Fire in Northern Ontario with assurances that discussions are ongoing on a multi-ministerial level in consultation with mining companies and area First Nations. However, details of these discussions remain confidential, according to the ministers.

[Ontario] North fights for ONTC – by The Daily Press (April 27, 2012)

April 28, 2012

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Municipal, business and union leaders demand meeting with premier to discuss Ontario Northland

Northern leaders are refusing to give up the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission without a fight. Northern Ontario municipal, business and labour leaders met via teleconference this week to discuss strategy for saving Ontario Northland.

On Tuesday, the provincial Liberal budget was passed, even though opposition could have vetoed it in the current minority government situation. The plan to privatize the ONTC was left in the budget.

The group is making its second request for a meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty to discuss the issue. In addition, they are requesting meetings with leaders of the opposition.

“Although the opposition parties are suggesting we are going into Round 2 in the fight, not being made aware of the process or even the rules of engagement, we are feeling that we have been knocked to the canvas and once again abandoned in the North,” said Iroquois Falls Mayor Gilles Forget.

NDP sells out the North – by Thomas Perry (Timmins Daily Press – April 25, 2012)

April 25, 2012

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Party trades away leverage for a few trinkets, bobbles

The NDP has sold out Northern Ontario for a few trinkets and bobbles. Instead of standing firm and voting against Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s budget unless the province agreed to halt its plans to divest Ontario Northland, the party caved.

“We tried to get the government to bend on the ONTC issue, but they just wouldn’t,” MPP Gilles Bisson (NDP — Timmins-James Bay) told our sister paper, the North Bay Nugget.

“We put proposals on the table, but the government wasn’t prepared to move on the ONTC. They were hanging on.” Just like they “tried” to get Xstrata to reverse its plans to close our smelter and save close to 700 jobs in Timmins.

Well, guess what? Tried just doesn’t cut it in our books! Are we supposed to hold our collective breath, as Mr. Bisson and his party brethren continue to tilt at windmills?