Husband of Sudbury judge gets earful on Sault electricity prices

Sault Ste. Marie's Ross Romano met Wednesday to discuss electricity prices with representatives of Algoma Steel, Tenaris, China Steel and other local steel-sector players.

"We're here today for the Ontario industrial rate consultation process our government has been engaged in for the course of the last several weeks," proclaimed Romano, husband of Judge Heather-Ann Mendes of the Ontario Court of Justice, who joins the bench at the Sudbury Courthouse tomorrow.

Romano, who is also Sault MPP and parliamentary assistant to the minister of energy, northern development and mines, said it was the fifth electricity roundtable held in different sectors by the Doug Ford government.

"Obviously, steel here in Sault Ste. Marie is a major priority for our community and generally industries within the north that are looking at industrial price reductions," the judicial hubby gasconaded.

Romano attended today's closed session at Roberta Bondar Place with Paul Calandra, husband of the highly credentialed Melanie Calandra of Stouffville, Ont.

Currently MPP for Markham-Stouffville, Mr. Calandra was once parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"The most important thing that we can do as a government is to consult with those stakeholders that know these industries in and out," Romano said.

"We want to talk to them and improve the system for them to ensure that we can keep our promises that we've made to everyone in Ontario to find a more efficient and a better energy system than the one we currently have," he exuded.