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Mantha misleading voters, says Hughson

NEWS RELEASE CRAIG HUGHSON LIBERAL CANDIDATE ALGOMA-MANITOULIN ************************** NDP candidate Mike Mantha misleading voters Ontario Liberals delivering real results for Algoma-Manitoulin ELLIOT LAKE - NDP candidate Mike Mantha claims he has

NEWS RELEASE

CRAIG HUGHSON
LIBERAL CANDIDATE
ALGOMA-MANITOULIN

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NDP candidate Mike Mantha misleading voters

Ontario Liberals delivering real results for Algoma-Manitoulin

ELLIOT LAKE - NDP candidate Mike Mantha claims he has delivered for Algoma-Manitoulin residents, but the fact is that any financial support for area projects coming to the riding are a result of Ontario Liberal government programs, announced Craig Hughson, Liberal candidate for Algoma-Manitoulin.

“All of Mike Mantha’s so-called accomplishments are actually Liberal government investments in our communities, so he can’t claim Liberals have devastated Northern Ontario and at the same time take credit for all of the provincial Liberal investments,” said Hughson. “In intentionally misleading residents, Mantha is showing us that he is an ineffective representative for Algoma-Manitoulin and that his party doesn’t have a plan for Northern Ontario.”

“Craig Hughson is a hardworking individual who has 15 years of solid political and public service experience working with the province to address the needs of Northerners,” said David Orazietti, Liberal Candidate for Sault Ste. Marie. “Craig understands how government works and what needs to be done to secure provincial resources for Northern communities. He would make a tremendous MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin.”

Mike Mantha’s recent claim that ten Ontario Parks have been closed is false.

Of the parks referenced by Mr. Mantha, four have reached partnership agreements with municipalities for operation.

The remaining parks have had their designation changed from operational to non-operational, which means they are still they are open for day use for the public to enjoy.

It is worth noting that of the province’s 334 parks, two thirds are non-operating and the ten referred to had less than 1 percent of the total provincial visitation.

Mantha’s claim that the Ontario Ranger Program is cancelled is also false.

The Liberal government introduced a new day-based Ontario Ranger Program and expanded the number of locations from 17 communities to 30 across Ontario.

As well, the number of summer students employed through MNR has been stable at 1,974.

Mantha’s claim that he secured funding for the Chi-Cheemaun ferry to protect jobs on Manitoulin Island is also false.

In 2013, the Liberal government, and specifically the Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Michael Gravelle, delivered funding through his Ministry to refurbish the Chi-Cheemaun ferry when the federal government abandoned their responsibility and refused to make upgrades necessary for its operation.

Hughson helped to deliver on the Chi-Cheeman by meeting with Michael Gravelle to secure the necessary funding, while Mantha accomplished little by staging a protest on the docks.

Mantha has also claimed that automobile insurance rates have not decreased.

However the independent financial commissioner has said they have dropped on average by 6 percent, and Liberals are on-track to reduce them by 15 percent.

Recently, the NDP candidate in Halton confirmed the Liberal plan is working when he tweeted that he had just received a lower auto insurance bill.

It is also important for Northerners to know that NDP MPP Jagmeet Singh introduced a Private Member’s Bill that would have increased automobile insurances rates in Northern Ontario by as much as 30 percent to subsidize Toronto drivers.

Ontario Liberals voted against that bill.

Mantha’s misguided Private Member’s Bill to compel resources to be refined in Ontario would cost Ontarians jobs, as Ontario is a net importer of ore for re-fining and other jurisdictions would likely retaliate by taking their ore refining elsewhere.

Fortunately this bill was not passed.

“It’s laughable that NDP candidate Mike Mantha is attempting to take credit for initiatives and investments he had absolutely nothing to do with,” said Orazietti. “Having served as Minister of Natural Resources, I know first hand the work that went into supporting the re-opening of mills in Wawa and White River and it certainly didn’t happen because of any of Mantha’s involvement.”

The Ontario Liberal plan makes significant investments in Northern Ontario, including:

  • The Northern Industrial Energy Rate Program (NIERP), an important electricity cost savings program for large Northern industries
  • Protecting the $100 million Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) fund raised from $60 to $100 million by the Liberal government and previously cut by the NDP
  • $1 billion for infrastructure in the Ring of Fire to support Northern job creation
  • $14 billion for transportation infrastructure projects outside the GTA, to accelerate the Northern highways expansion program

None of these initiatives are committed to by the NDP.

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