Seemingly oblivious to the optics of making political promises in a place named Café Obscura, a group of New Democratic candidates gathered in Sudbury Monday to introduce their party's northern Ontario platform.
"The NDP is the only party that has a plan specifically for the north," said Rob Boulet, candidate in Nipissing-Timiskaming.
"The north is always the first place to be hit when there are cuts," added Sault Ste. Marie candidate Sara McCleary in a written release.
"Having a seat at the government’s table never gave us the edge we needed. I’m here to pursue the NDP heritage of defending essential services and advocate for our region," McCleary said.
Monday's platform release occurred at Café Obscura, a beanery founded over the summer on Sudbury's Elm Street by David Wiewel, who was staff photographer at Northern Life (now Sudbury.com) from 1989 to 1999.
The establishment trafficks in splendid pastries, high-octane caffeinated beverages and old-school film cameras, film and custom developing.
The party's northern Ontario platform, distributed on paper and online, is a 28-page document consisting mostly of policies and promises previously announced by the national party.
There were, however, 10 new promises specific to the north:
- make travel in the north safer and more affordable and boost tourism by restoring the Northlander train service between Toronto and Cochrane and supporting the Mask-Wa Oo-Ta-Ban Bear Train between Hearst and Sault Ste. Marie
- fight for francophones in the north by ensuring that a francophone university is built in Ontario, and strengthening French-language services in the north
- give the north its due by finally making FedNor a standalone regional economic development agency with a broad mandate to pursue job growth
- support our mining industry through a permanent mineral exploration tax credit, giving continuing support to junior prospecting firms
- give our young people more reasons to stay by launching programs to retain college and university graduates in the north and ensure a long-term future for our communities
- attract new northerners by making the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot a full-fledged program
- invest in high-skill jobs in environmental sciences by investing in projects like [Kenora District's] Experimental Lakes Area and exploring new, needed research options in our unique environment
- make sure the north is ready for a changing climate by developing and implementing an emergency management plan for northern Ontario focused on fires and floods, and working closely with Indigenous peoples to develop local expertise and resources
- protect our natural ecosystems and resources for the long term by creating and investing in a climate resilience strategy for northern Ontario with indigenous communities and regional industries
- act to clean up the train derailment and oil spill near Gogama and ensure the health of nearby lakes and rivers
Charlie Angus made fun of Justin Trudeau's Sudbury stop last week, in which Trudeau paddled a canoe in front of waiting supporters and journalists, before making policy announcements on protecting land and water, and subsidizing camping trips for families.
"Now I know what you're thinking, the prime minister was here just recently, Mr. Trudeau and his canoe, I guess when he saw the trees he thought it was recreation time."
"And he offered what, $2,000 so people can go camping? I'll tell you Timmins people are camping, they're camping at Gillies Lake every night because we have 2,000 homeless people and there is no plan from the Liberal government to deal with the housing crisis. In fact, Trudeau put less money into national housing than (former Conservative Prime Minister) Stephen Harper. How could you be that pitiful? We will establish a national housing plan that has serious targets."
Previously-made NDP promises lauded on Monday by Sara McLeary included the following:
- put reconciliation with First Nations at the heart of our work
- make prescription drugs free
- create good, sustainable jobs and give our young people more reasons to stay
- help families make rent with a $5,000 rental benefit and a plan to build 500,000 new affordable homes
- strengthen public services that we all depend on like reliable health care
- protect the environment and fight climate change
"Conservatives and Liberals haven't worked for Northern Ontario -- they've been working for lobbyists and big corporations instead of you,” said Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes.
“It doesn't have to be this way... You know that NDP MPs fight for northerners and without a strong team of New Democrats ready to go to bat for them, life gets harder for these people. We're offering a different way forward, a new deal for the North, one that puts hard-working Canadians first and makes life more affordable for families, for students and for seniors," Hughes said.
Angus spoke about an issue that has taken hold in Ontario -- the province's autism program, which the Ford government has been wrestling with for some time.
"We've been dealing with the nightmare of Doug Ford cuts and this is the first experiment in the privatization of health services," said Angus. "We will push a national autism strategy to identify where are the weaknesses in services and to ensure that nobody goes without. The investments that we make in children with autism are investments that will transform their lives.
“To put it bluntly, this will be way less of a drag on the economy than leaving children, who if they don't get the services when they're young, will be damaged for the rest of their lives."
- with files from Matt Durnan, Sudbury.com
