Northern Ontario Separation and Alienation – Page 24

Hudak vows to review Metrolinx deal – by Antonella Artuso (North Bay Nugget – July 13, 2011)

July 14, 2011

The North Bay Nugget, established in 1907, is the daily newspaper for the northeastern Ontario community of North Bay.

TORONTO — PC Leader Tim Hudak is promising to review the controversial Metrolinx decision to hand a lucrative contract to refurbish GO Transit coaches to a Quebec-based company over a North Bay competitor.

“This July, a McGuinty government agency — Metrolinx — selected a Quebec-based company to refurbish GO Transit rail cars even though the (Ontario Northland Transportation Commission) has been doing high quality work for years,” says Changebook North, the party’s northern Ontario platform. “Yet Dalton McGuinty allowed this decision to stand, costing 100 good jobs.”

Hudak will release Changebook North Thursday in Thunder Bay.

While Changebook North calls on McGuinty to review the Metrolinx decision prior to the fall election, Hudak said he’s prepared to do so after Oct. 6 if his party forms the next government.

Dubreuilville sawmill operator frustrated by wood competition – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – July, 2011)

July 13, 2011

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North. Ian Ross is the editor of Northern Ontario Business ianross@nob.on.ca.

Community struggling

Dubreuil Forest Products (DFP) is facing a future without a Crown wood supply. One of Canada’s last great company towns will not go down without a fight, said its sawmill general manager.

Dubreuil Forest Products (DFP) mill manager Dave Jennings said despite the government’s rejection of his company’s application for Crown fibre in the provincial wood supply competition, the dimensional lumber producer will find a way to carry on.

“We’re going to fight on, we’re not going to quit, we’re not going to go away and we’re going to do whatever it takes to ensure that the community and the mill survives.”

Jennings called the province’s plan to put Crown wood back to work “anything but fair” and said the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry’s (MNDMF) decision to strip his mill of wood supply will “imperil the town” and affect future livelihoods.

Northern Ontario pushes McGuinty to reverse $122-million Metrolinx contract – by Tony Van Alphen (Toronto Star – July 9, 2011)

July 9, 2011

The Toronto Star, which has the largest broadsheet circulation in Canada, has an enormous impact on Canada’s federal and provincial politics as well as shaping public opinion.

Furious municipal politicians in Northern Ontario are pressing Premier Dalton McGuinty to reverse a $122.6-million GO Transit car refurbishing contract with a Quebec firm because they argue a Crown company in North Bay should have won it.

“It doesn’t make much sense,” North Bay Mayor Al McDonald said Friday about the recent decision by Metrolinx, another Crown-owned agency that owns GO.

He warns if the decision by Metrolinx, the GTA’s transit agency, proceeds, it will kill hundreds of jobs in his city and could have significant negative political implications for the governing Liberals in the fall provincial election in Northern Ontario. The Liberals currently hold six of nine northern seats while the NDP represents the other three.

“It flies in the face of their own policy for economic rejuvenation in the North,” said McDonald, who has been rallying other municipal leaders against the deal. “This would be a very difficult decision to defend.”

[North Bay] City demands answers to 10 questions about $120-M contract loss – By Maria Calabrese (The North Bay Nugget – July 7, 2011)

July 8, 2011

The North Bay Nugget, established in 1907, is the daily newspaper for the northeastern Ontario community of North Bay.

‘No grounds’ to reopen contract, MPP says

Ontario Northland Railway employees took unpaid time off work to rally with the city as it pushes the province to review a process that led to a $120-million contract going to a company in Quebec.

“I think we’re a little fed up with Northern Ontario not getting our fair share of jobs, and jobs going out of province. We’re just trying to keep local jobs,” said refurbishment worker Trevor Murphy who was part of a crowd of about 200 people, mostly ONR workers, at city hall Thursday morning.

“I think it’s great that everybody is getting involved. This effects everybody in the North.” Canada Allied Diesel Railway Industries Ltd., in Lachine, Que., bid $2 million less than the ONR even though the tender stipulated the lowest bid might not be accepted, and won the contract to refurbish 127 GO Transit rail passenger cars with a one-year-option for 22 more.

Mayor Al McDonald told the crowd the decision could cost 109 local jobs representing more than $6 million in salaries, the province could lose up to $15 million in severance pay and the economic impact to the region could reach $50 million.

Premier’s silence on GO contract stuns Northern leaders – by Ron Grech (The Timmins Daily Press – July 7, 2011)

July 8, 2011

The Daily Press is the newspaper of record for the city of Timmins.

For the past week, Northern leaders have been calling for a review of a $120-million GO Transit contract awarded to a Quebec firm when Ontario Northland’s bid was just 1.6% higher.

Aside from being declared a bad economic move, “what’s more troubling to us is the government’s position which is really one of silence,” said Alan Spacek, Kapuskasing mayor and president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities. “The silence from the premier’s office is deafening.”

On June 24, Ontario Northland Transportation Commission announced that Quebec-based Canadian Allied Diesel had been awarded the next GO Transit refurbishment contract by the Metrolinx board of directors to rebuild 121 GO Transit cars.

Spacek along with Tom Laughren, Timmins’ mayor and FONOM vice-president, hosted a press conference in Timmins Thursday to publicly express their concerns and to discuss plans to further lobby the Ontario government.

North Bay demands answers from province on rail contract – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – July, 2011)

July 8, 2011

The City of North Bay wants answers from Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty on why a GO Transit rail coach contract was awarded to Quebec interests instead of the Crown-owned Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC).

The decision by Metrolinx to award a five-year, 127-car refurbishment contract to Canadian Allied Diesel Railway Industries (CADRI) of Lachine, Que. has city council demanding the contract be suspended and reviewed by the province.

CADRI’s $120 million bid bested ONTC by $2 million, but North Bay Mayor Al McDonald said there are other factors at play. At a June 7 press conference, North Bay Mayor Al McDonald called the awarding of the contract a “flawed process” that will kill 109 jobs at the North Bay-headquartered Crown corporation, eliminate about $7 million in payroll and cost hundreds more indirect jobs in the region.

Northern Ontario growth plan summit gets mixed reviews – by Patrick Demers and Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – July, 2011)

July 7, 2011

Delegates seek action on Northern Growth Plan

Attending the Think North II summit and working with delegates from across Northern Ontario marks the halfway point to a successful Growth Plan for Northern Ontario, said Irish guest speaker John Gallagher.

But for most listening to his presentation, it certainly didn’t feel that way. Nearly 500 people representing communities and townships from across Northern Ontario attended the four-day summit hosted by the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry (MNDMF) in Thunder Bay and Sudbury.

The event attracted guest speakers from around the world who shared their stories of economic development success with those in attendance, and offered ideas and advice as to how Northern Ontario can improve theirs. But the more delegates listened, the more some got upset.

Master Plan To Destroy Northern Ontario – by Gregory Reynolds (Highgrader Magazine – Summer 2011)

July 7, 2011

This column was originally published in the Late Summer, 2011 issue of Highgrader Magazine which is committed to serve the interests of northerners by bringing the issues, concerns and culture of the north to the world through the writings and art of award-winning journalists as well as talented freelance artists, writers and photographers.

The recent annual meeting of Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) heard a great deal of comment, and concern, expressed about the Ontario government’s love affair with Greater Sudbury and Thunder Bay. Speakers claimed these two cities appear to be favoured when the Liberal government of Dalton McGuinty doles out assistance to the North.

That the two largest centres are special, even privileged, should not have been a surprise to those in attendance.

Members of Timmins city council should have been least surprised since famous prospector, and equally famous outspoken advocate for Northern Ontario, Don McKinnon presented each of them with two documents in 2004: The Master Plan to Destroy Northern Ontario; and Addendum to The Master Plan to Destroy Northern Ontario.

Where is our share? [Mining Taxes] – by Kate McLaren (Timmins Daily Press – July 6, 2011)

July 6, 2011

The Daily Press is the newspaper of record for the city of Timmins.

Northern leaders seek mining tax revenue

Communities in Northern Ontario are looking for a piece of the pie when it comes to taxes generated from the mining industry.

“When you look at the resource-based industry, it’s important we are able to build some sort of a legacy from our mining resources,” explained Timmins mayor and Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) vice-president Tom Laughren.

“We are struggling for infrastructure and capital dollars, when the provincial and federal governments are benefiting from this mining tax.” FONOM is calling for an equitable share of the rich mining tax revenue currently collected by the provincial government, which have totalled more than half a billion dollars over the past five years.

[FONOM] Groups want cut of mining tax – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – July 6, 2011)

July 6, 2011

The Sudbury Star, the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper. cmulligan@thesudburystar.com

The subject of mining taxes may not be on the minds of Sudburians in these long, hot days of summer.

But the president of an organization looking out for 110 municipalities, including Sudbury, says mining taxation hits northern residents right where it hurts — on their property tax bills.

The Federation of Northern Ontario Federation of Municipalities says the Government of Ontario has collected more than $500 million in Ontario Mining Tax revenue in the last five years, and that money is all leaving the North.

Kapuskasing mayor and FONOM president Alan Spacek said this is a “very good time” to ask candidates running in the Oct. 6 provincial election. “It has a real impact on the average homeowner-taxpayer,” said Spacek.

NEWS RELEASE: Northern Ontario Communities Seek Share of Mining Tax

July 6, 2011

Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM): www.fonom.org

Date published: Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Northern municipalities want an equitable share of the rich mining tax revenue currently collected by the provincial government. The Province has collected over half a billion dollars in Ontario Mining Tax revenue over the past 5 years.

Alan Spacek, President of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) stated, “Northern Ontario is a vast storehouse of mineral wealth. In recent years, Northern Ontario has returned record levels of revenue to the provincial government. Northern Ontario is once again a major economic contributor.”

Tom Laughren, Vice President of FONOM and Mayor of Timmins noted, “Unfortunately for Northern municipalities, much of the wealth generated by mining leaves the region in the form of corporate profits, Federal and Provincial corporate income tax, and resource specific taxes or fees such as the Ontario Mining Tax. This has created significant hardship for all Northerners. We are facing increasing cost pressures related to the provision of vital local services and an additional source of revenue would be of great benefit to our people.”

Predictions come true [McGuinty policies detrimental to North] – by Wayne Snider (Timmins Daily Press – July 4, 2011)

July 5, 2011

Wayne Snider is the city editor for The Daily Press, the city of Timmins newspaper. Contact the writer at news@thedailypress.ca.

“That’s why southern-based environmental groups have more say in legislation that
shapes the North’s future than Northerners. That’s why the voices of our Northern
leaders are ignored when we are outraged by the decisions being made in Queen’s
Park. That’s why we are not overly surprised when a contract to refurbish GO trains
in the GTA is given to an out-of-province firm when the job can be done in the North.”
(Wayne Snider – Timmins Daily Press)

Northern Ontario is becoming a living paradox. While there are great amounts of wealth being created, or waiting to be created, the full potential of the benefits are not being realized by the region.

We have areas — such as Attawapiskat — where local residents have been waiting for the basic need of a decent school for more than 20 years. Yet a stone’s throw away, some of the world’s best quality diamonds are being mined.

We have entire communities which are in the process of dying slow painful deaths, where a key industry such as a sawmill or a pulp and paper mill has shut down, while the raw resources continue to be taken from the area for processing out of province.

We have seen legislation out of southern Ontario designed to “protect” the North — such as the Endangered Species Act and the Far North Act — actually tear away at the socio-economic fabric of Northern society.

Northern Asymmetry: Comparisons Between Ontario and Quebec Attitudes to Northern Development – by Livio Di Matteo (June 28, 2011)

June 30, 2011

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/

The most recent point of comparison between Ontario’s Northern Growth Plan and Quebec’s Plan Nord lies in the difference in marketing. Quebec’s Premier Jean Charest is in Europe promoting Quebec’s economic development as well as Quebec’s Plan Nord. He will be visiting England, Belgium and Germany during the course of this week promoting Quebec but more importantly promoting northern economic development in the mining and resource sectors.

Of course, Quebec”s plan is quite easy to market given the dynamic and assertive nature of its language and content. Charest says that the Plan Nord could lead to 11 new mining projects during the next few years as well as 80 billion dollars in public and private investment. Charest is also planning to visit China and Japan this month to promote the Plan Nord.

On the other hand, Ontario is not promoting its northern development and its Northern Growth Plan in as engaged a fashion as Quebec. Why? Well, Ontario’s plan for the most part is a rather bland collection of plans to engage in further planning. It is difficult to market boring platitudes in a manner that does not put your audience to sleep. While Northern Ontario politicians have to sit through provincial government summits and seminars that endlessly repeat the same empty statements in order to demonstrate their fealty to Queen’s Park, international financiers and politicians would simply leave the room.

Early warnings for the [Ontario] North ignored – by Wayne Snider (Timmins Daily Press – June 28, 2011)

June 28, 2011

Wayne Snider is the city editor for The Daily Press, the city of Timmins newspaper. Contact the writer at news@thedailypress.ca.

OPINION: Report pushed highest growth in southern urban centres

Many people believe Northern Ontario is largely ignored, both at the provincial and federal levels. This isn’t a new phenomenon, nor is concept limited in terms of the political stripes of ruling governments.

For decades population growth in the south has resulted in a long line of provincial and federal riding boundary adjustments. Provincially, urban centres, particularly the GTA, has been getting more and more clout in Queen’s Park, while seats have been cut in rural and Northern areas.

The voice of the North and rural Ontario is becoming increasingly drowned out by urban centres. So it should not come as any huge shock that government planning has largely centred on southern urban centres. This is by design.

In February 2004, the report Investing in People: Creating a Human Capital Society for Ontario was presented to Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Don McKinnon Dreams of a Deep Sea Port in Moosonee for Northern Prosperity – by Gregory Reynolds (Highgrader Magazine – Fall, 2005)

June 26, 2011

This article was originally published in the Fall, 2005 issue of Highgrader Magazine . Highgrader is committed to serve the interests of northerners by bringing the issues, concerns and culture of the north to the world through the writings and art of award-winning journalists as well as talented freelance artists, writers and photographers.

Don McKinnon, a man with a vision. 45 years ago the Ontario government ordered a study on the viability of a northern port. Naturally, it has been put on the shelf. Now Don McKinnon explains why a sea port some 28 kms form Moosonee would rejuvenate the North’s economic viability for decades to come.

Northern Ontario was opened up as the result of the dream of politicians who wanted to secure it for future generations. The major communities were born as a result of men with dreams refusing to accept defeat and pursuing their ambitions beyond the bounds of logic. Iroquois Falls today is the result of entrepreneur Frank Anson’s vision. He established a mill, which, at one time was the largest pulp and paper mill on the continent.

His imagination was sparked by the reports about timber possibilities written by two students he had grubstaked in 1909 to seek gold. Anson then went north to access the potential of the frontier. Who would believe the ramifications of this man’s dream would result in the development of a modern community?

In 1910, Anson investigated the site and lumber properties. Two years later, Anson sent several experts to the Iroquois Falls mill site. Anson’s dream of creating the Abitibi Pulp and Paper Company Limited became known as ‘Anson’s Folly’ but he refused to give up.