Party Platform
Created July 9, 2016 Last
Revision May 18, 2019
- Energy
- One price hydro 24 hrs/day for residential service
- Amalgamate all electrical service companies into one, therefore have one energy board as well.
- Cancel the electricity market in Ontario to promote fair & equal pricing.
- Enhance NorONT power grid to ensure the ability for sale of excess power and ensure ALL of NorONT is on the NorONT power grid. This would tie Parry Sound & Muskoka into the NorONT power grid.
- Encourage and promote off-grid living for people in remote communities/locations.
- Assist and aid indiginous communities in producing and operating power supply in their communities
- Eliminate tax and delivery charges from residential hydro.
- Northern Ontario to use Northern Ontario produces hydro while eliminating the usage of Southern Ontario’s nuclear energy flow to NorOnt
- Ban the disposal of nuclear waste in NorONT
- Review and modernize the green energy act to ensure the longevity of NorONT lands and wildlife
- Health Care Reform
- Expand the two university hospitals in Northern Ontario to put us in a better position to attract the much needed specialized talent to our region, particularly in the areas of cardiac care and pediatric oncology, with an added focus on mental health across all age and demographic groups.
- Convert old hospitals and other provincial buildings into seniors housing before considering them for other uses or tearing them down. These facilities should maintain a health care clinic on site. A complete evaluation of the buildings and properties would be completed to ensure the longevity and safety of residents.
- Promote the idea of Long Term Facilities or senior residences with doctors and nurse practitioners on site, thereby freeing up hospital beds and ‘family doctors.’ The facilities would have full ability to administer all medications and treatments that are needed by the residents. When and where the waiting lists for interim care housing and group homes are causing an overload on hospitals, residences would need to be created.
- Review & ensure Long Term & Extended Health Care policies to ensure the best care is provided, the affordability, and beneficial to the well-being of everyone. Time spent with long-term or seniors will be increased by at least double the current allotted, while caregiver to patient ration will be improved by at least 20%
- Creation of patient family housing located near all specialized hospital which is sole focused on Northern Ontario families who have to travel in excess of 250kms for treatment or care that requires overnight or multiple day treatments or monitoring
- Nursing and long-term homes will be required to fill any vacant beds within 21 days or the beginning of the next month, but no more than 31 days.
- Northern Development & Mines
- Modernize the mining act for the benefit of local communities. It will be clear and enforceable. We will streamline th process from discovery to mining for the benefit of all concerned parties. We will undertake this by forming a committee with representation from all stakeholders.
- Revamp the taxes and royalties paid by mining companies to ensure that affected communities and infrastructure is not neglected or substandard. Focusing on clear environmental rehabilitation with an emphasis on environmental rehabilitation sourcing northern reclamation companies
- A provincial program should be established to eliminate municipal taxes for ten years for all new manufacturing plants in NorONT that complete a minimum of 80% finished form in NorONT. This would be developed on a sliding scale based on start-up costs and type of company
- Undertake investment partnerships with mining companies and claim owners to begin building the required infrastructure for the Ring of Fire project, including an access road and/or rail line north from Nakina. All provincially funded builders/developers will be sources from NorONT, hiring Northern Ontarians.
- Education
- Stop the closing of Northern Ontario Schools, which will end the need to bus students ever-longer distances to larger schools. Transfer more power from the province to the school boards who currently have minimal control over budget and curriculum.
- When building a new school, consider building a multi-use facility which coul include the cmmunity library, municipal office, and other community needs. This would save on energy costs and long-term building maintenance, etc.
- Hold a referendum to amalgamate the English, French, Catholic, and French Catholic school boards into a single board, thereby reducing competition between boards for funding, reduce overlap in school catchements, eliminate duplicate administrative spending, etc
- Natural Resources, Fish & Wildlife
- Develop a new water act for NorONT to maintain the integrity of a clean water source.
- Introduce legislation requiring at least 50% of our natural resources from mining and forestry need to be manufactured in Northern Ontario
- Create a Northern Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, located in Northern Ontario, run by Northern Ontarians, to promote the best interests of Northern Ontario People.
- Negotiate with First Nations to help them develop their own Fish & Wildlife game system, where they can set up their own rules for conservation and can enforce these rules and regulations with their members
- Transportation
- Promote the use of a cost-effective, efficient, modern rail system that could travel on the rail lines as an economical alternative to big diesel locomotives pulling passenger cars. This would help reinstate passenger rail service across Northern Ontario.
- Create and maximize transportation to NorONT communities and mines that have been neglected by previous governments.
- Housing & Infrastructure
- Review provincial ministries and properties to ensure best services are provided and where possible, consolidate ministries into one building to reduce wasteful spending on properties, etc. Combine Municipal and Provincial buildings and properties to eliminate duplicated and excessive spending by both.
- The developers of apartment buildings and housing will have incentives to offer 20% of their units for people with specific living requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, persons with medical conditions and assisted living requirements.
- Finance & Taxation
- Salary wages for Public Servants, present and future, including executives and management, should reflect and not exceed that of similar private companies, and/or $350k/annum. If currently over that amount, the position may be reviewed. The salary cap, wages of Public Servants, and minimum wage will be pegged to match CoL increases
- Replace MPAC with a fair and realistic property valuation system based more closely on the local market which will help stabilize property tax revenue for Northern communities
- Tax breaks on a sliding scale for any new company or employee-owned companies that establish themselves in NorONT based on the number of full-time employees, and the employees’ total compensation package
- Social Services & The Environment
- Complete a review of government programs for people in need, to ensure they meet the CoL, etc. review their enrollment, eligibility, and the way payment is provided to ensure the best options and uniformity is provided. Ensure that the programs ill not negatively affect people who are attempting to seek employment (ie ODSP recipients should not lose benefits because they attempt to work within their capabilities). Ensure that the programs are not made to be a long-term solution.
- Replace Cap & Trade Carbon Tax with environmentally responsible initiatives which reinvest revenue in Northern Ontario.
- Place a Carbon Tariff on imports from excessive carbon producing countries of 10%