October 18, 2024

Ford government needs to get its priorities straight

Well, the summer was everything I had expected – and then some. You will recall that Premier Ford chose to delay the resumption of the Legislature's business. Most years, Members return to Queen's Park in early September. But Premier Ford determined it was better for his government to avoid scrutiny for how he's been running the province for as long as possible. Given all of the issues such as healthcare, doctor shortages, nurses leaving the profession early, education, and service wait times for families of children with Autism, one might think the government might want to tackle the growing list of issues as soon as possible to make life better for Ontarians. But apparently, the Premier sees things differently from his own perspective.

Mind you, I found there was no shortage of things to do and places to go. Some weeks, my odometer seemed to spin like a slot machine as I traversed the riding from end to end and side to side many times. But let there be no doubt that meeting with people, no matter where I meet them, is always of great value. I get to see people where they live, seeing and hearing their concerns for myself. That's what it takes to understand and bring their voices to Queen's Park.

This summer, I met with many constituents and community leaders at my constituency clinics across the riding. I just finished two weeks in Northern Algoma and along the North Shore. In November, I will be holding more clinics on Manitoulin. Check my website or call my office if you want to set up an appointment to meet with me to discuss items of concern.

As usual, I am more than ready to get back into the Legislature because we have so much work to do. So many Ontarians are suffering, having to deal with all manner of healthcare issues, such as no family physician to care for them, hospital emergency department closures, and seemingly endless wait times for surgery or other treatments. Being out and about all summer, I heard people's frustration as they questioned the priorities of the Ford government.

The people of Algoma-Manitoulin are sick of hearing the Premier touting the importance of building more and more highways in the south. Many ask, how about finishing the 4-laning Hwy 400 that was started decades ago? It seems to me that not one new kilometre of that highway was opened this summer. All summer long, we have heard and read the Premier and the government extolling how building Hwy 413 to connect the regions of York, Peel, and Halton will benefit that region's citizens. The truth of the matter is that most see no benefit to the residents and businesses.

Or maybe MTO should consider alleviating the frustration of people inconvenienced by prolonged projects such as the bridge across the Spanish River in Massey. For two years now, residents crossing that bridge must adjust travel times to allow for traffic interruptions every time they go out. What is worse is that my office has learned that, due to unexpected circumstances and material shortages, MTO has now extended the completion of the project to the end of the construction season in 2025. It is now a three-year project.

Maybe it would be worthwhile to invest in addressing the constant flooding of Hwy 638 at the junction of 17 heading into Echo Bay. MTO has been promising since before 2015 to fix the problem as soon as their field studies are complete and engineers determine what causes the flooding and how to fix it. Putting up cones all year long, year after year, is not fixing the problem. It is more than an inconvenience. Driving through deep waters flooding the roadway poses a danger to the public. Invest in the surveys and studies, devise a plan and get the job done, already! It's been flooding for more than ten years! Get your priorities straight, Mr. Ford.

Another ongoing transportation issue that poses a genuine threat to those travelling the TransCanada is found north of the Goulais River area at Mile Hill, where accidents or near misses involving moose and deer are a problem. To date, MTO has taken no meaningful steps to address the issue. So far, the only investment to improve safety has been posting "moose crossing" signs and agreeing to clear some brush to increase oncoming visibility. And, of course, there is the usual promise to "monitor" the situation through the Collision Analytics and Reporting System (CARS) and assess the data collected. MTO has been "monitoring" the Echo Bay flooding issue for ten years and has taken no steps. It is a well-established fact that this is a known major migratory/travel route where the number of crossings is extreme, and the time and money spent implementing CARS won't mitigate the danger. MTO can do so much more to improve the safety of those travelling this route. The government needs to step up to the plate today to save lives. It needs to reassess its priorities and back up its claimed commitment to safety with effective plans, actions and funding.  

This summer, when people heard Premier Ford's announced promise to Ontarians that he would build a tunnel under Hwy 401, even though no feasibility study had even been discussed nor any costing offered, the collective boom of people's frustration gasket bursting was deafening.

People tell me they really question the government's priorities when it comes to spending. Some tell me that, while they are happy to see Ontario making the purchase of beer and wine more convenient, the matter was not really on people's collective radar as a problem. And for sure, they say that the $225 million price tag that we have to pay for the early cancellation of the province's contract with the beer industry is a waste of money. Would it not have been more responsible to wait just one more year when the contract would naturally have expired? On top of this price tag, add the LCBO lost revenue. The LCBO brings in a whopping $2.5 billion to government coffers annually. And the Minister of Finance has stated that he has no idea how the change in sales will affect those revenues.

While we are on the topic of wasted money, it seems that the issues emanating from passing Bill 124, which the courts ruled was unconstitutional, are finally being resolved. All those thousands of workers whose collective bargaining rights were violated are receiving their retroactive pay and realizing the increased wage that should have been negotiated is now being compensated. According to CBC News, as of October 15th, Ontario taxpayers have had to fork over $4.3 million to settle legal costs and pay out $6.7 billion more in retroactive pay. When Ontarians elect a government, they expect it to ensure that the legislation they pass meets constitutional and legal requirements. Well, it appears the Ford government's legal advisors kind of dropped the ball on Bill 124. Northerners have told me that, without a doubt, this is one of the most expensive fumbles in history.

So, when people ask me if I am ready to find my way back to Queen's Park, without hesitation, I say, "Absolutely. There's so much work to be done." I have heard the voices of the people of Algoma-Manitoulin and am excited to return to work on their behalf.

As always, I invite you to contact my office about these issues or any other provincial matters. You can reach my constituency office by email at mmantha-co@ola.org or call Toll-free 1-800-831-1899.

Michael Mantha, MPP

Algoma-Manitoulin