NDP plans to keep jobs, resources in the north

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO NDP LEADER ANDREA HORWATH

************************** New Democrats will keep resources and jobs in northern communities

Horwath offers change that puts northern forestry and mining jobs first

TIMMINS - New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath says Ontario’s natural resources must stay in Ontario to create value-added forestry and mining jobs and give northern communities and First Nations a chance to share in the prosperity the North creates.

“The North’s natural resources should be creating jobs in the North,” said Horwath. “Instead of letting companies take our resources and run, we can keep good value-added jobs and industry in northern communities.”

Horwath announced that a New Democratic government will amend the Mining Act so resources mined in Ontario cannot be exported if they can be processed in Ontario.

Horwath also unveiled plans to fix forestry tenure rules to give communities more control over wood allocations while eliminating uncertainty in the sector.

“Northern Ontario has been ignored by Queen’s Park and the result has been lost jobs and missed opportunities. It’s time for change that puts northern jobs first,” said Horwath. “Our plan to put communities at the centre of forestry decisions while ending uncertainty in the sector will help sustain and create jobs in hard-hit towns.”

Horwath, MPPs Gilles Bisson and France Gélinas, and the Northeastern NDP team unveiled the strategy at Xstrata’s Kidd Metallurgical Site, which closed when the company shipped operations out of the province – putting nearly 700 people out of work.

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