Party Leaders Discuss Passenger Rail, Mining Revenue and Who Northern Ontario Voters Should Trust | CBC News


In a debate on Northern Ontario issues, the top four leaders spent most of their time arguing over which party has ignored the region the most.

They squared off in the first of two debates this campaign for the June 2 election, in front of delegates at a town hall conference Tuesday afternoon in the North Bay.

“I think the question is who is going to finally fix the things that are broken in Northern Ontario?” NDP leader Andrea Horwath said.

Horwath was quick to blame the current ruling Progressive Conservatives and previous Liberal governments for everything from poorly cleaned roads to a shortage of doctors.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca “means they’re a new party now, and I get that: They don’t want anyone to look in the rearview mirror because they left a mess in Northern Ontario,” Horwath said.

“Doug Ford has had four years and things have gotten worse.”

Duca, left, and Ford traded blame for Northern Ontario’s poor road conditions and health care. (Erik White/CBC)

Del Duca has promised to complete the four lanes of Highway 69 south of Sudbury that has stalled for the last four years under Ford, and to bring back the Northlander passenger train that his party cut in 2012.

The Conservatives promised during the 2018 campaign to bring back passenger rail service to the North East, and although studies have been carried out and $75 million has been pledged, the train is not yet running.

“I heard Mr. Ford talk as if he hadn’t been premier of Ontario for the last four years,” Del Duca said.

Ford responded to Del Duca, saying he had an opportunity to improve northern highways when he was in cabinet.

“Mr. Del Duca, you had your chance and you failed. You were the transport minister,” Ford said.

“It’s scary going down those northern roads, especially in winter.”

Horwath answered questions from reporters after the debate. Ford was the only leader not involved in the media scrums. (Erik White/CBC)

Ford repeatedly mentioned promises to improve Highway 101 through Timmins, Highway 17 in the Kenora area, and Highway 69, as well as a road to remote Ring of Fire mining deposits, saying his was the only part with a plan to do it.

“I’m very excited about the future of Northern Ontario,” he said.

“But it’s up to each of us to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

Del Duca raised some new promises from Northern Ontario during the debate, including free tuition for medical students who commit to work in remote communities, and giving cities and towns a five percent cut in tax revenue from provincial mining.

Progressive Conservatives promised a resource revenue sharing plan in 2018, but the $15 million fund announced last fall received lukewarm reaction from city leaders.

Ford repeatedly spoke about the great mineral potential of the North, especially the metals needed to make electric car batteries, one of the few times he is on the same page as Green Party leader Mike Schreiner.

“We need to be ready for the new climate economy, because Northern Ontario can lead it,” Schreiner said.

Horwath was the only leader to emphasize the importance of processing natural resources up north, rather than shipping them to plants in southern Ontario or elsewhere.

Ford supporters await his arrival at the Capitol Center in North Bay before the leaders’ debate. (Erik White/CBC)

Horwath pledged to extend broadband internet service across the province, including the many underserved areas in the north, by 2025, claiming it would be well ahead of the Progressive Conservative’s timeline.

However, Ford said the broadband infrastructure is being worked on and most of it will be completed by 2024.

“I’m not going to promise the moon and stars, but I will get Northern Ontario,” Horwath said.

But Ford argued that the three center-left parties were promising the moon and that citizens, north and south, would end up paying for it.

“If you want more excuses, more delays, more talk and more taxes, I have to tell you folks, you have plenty of options,” he said.



Reference-www.cbc.ca

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