04252024 April 25, 2024

705 - 864 - 2785

InnuartistScott-PienPicardperformsforÉSCTrilliumand ÉS Saint-Josephstudents

On April 16, some 170 grade 7 to 12

students from École secondaire catholiqueTrillium(Chapleau)andfrom École secondaire Saint-Joseph (Wawa) had the pleasureofattendingaperformancebyInnuartist Scott-Pien Picard during a school tour presented bytheConseilscolairecatholiqueNouvelon His music,bothcaptivatinganduniversal,transported students into a world where talent and passion met.ThispresentationtookplaceatÉSCTrillium.

Scott-PienPicard,supportedbyateamof great musicians, sang songs in Innu, his mother tongue Inadditiontoperforming,thisartistspoke tostudentsinFrenchabouthispassionforhisInnu cultureandlanguage

Born in Sept-Îles, Quebec, Scott-Pien Picard is an Innu songwriter from Uashat Mak Maliotenam, an Innu community on the North Shore He writes in Innu, his mother tongue He

developed a real talent for music at a very early age From the age of six, he performed in his community.InspiredbythemusicalgroupsMaten and Kashtin, he discovered a passion for music andtheInnulanguage Itdidnottakelongforhim to develop a talent for composing and writing in thetraditionallanguage

In2015,Scott-PienPicardtookpartinthe televisionprogramLeRythme3,aworkshopthat brought together new Indigenous talent led by singer-songwriterSamian,andparticipatedinthe Nikamun Mamuitun (songs that bring people together) event, bringing Indigenous and nonIndigenous people together in Petite Vallée in 2017 This artist produced his first solo album SCOTT-PIEN PICARD in 2018 and the album Pekuaiapu (which in the ancient Innu language means “visionary - one who sets the path”) in 2022.

L'artisteinnuScott-PienPicardanimeunspectaclepour desélèvesdel'ÉSCTrilliumetdel'ÉS Saint-Joseph

LLong Term Forecast

Thursday High 11 Low -4

Friday High 15

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e16avril,prèsde170élèvesdela7eàla 12e année de l'école secondaire SaintJoseph (Wawa) et de l'École secondaire catholique Trillium (Chapleau) ont eu le grand plaisir d'assister au spectacle de l'artiste innu Scott-PienPicardlorsd'unetournéescolaire.Sa musique, à la fois captivante et universelle, a transporté les élèves dans un univers où talent et passion se rencontrent. Ce spectacle, présenté à l'ÉSC Trillium, faisait partie d'une tournée présentée

Saturday High 12 Low 3

Sunday High 9

2

Monday High 10 Low 4

Tuesday High 9 Low 1

parleConseilscolairecatholiqueNouvelon.

Appuyé par des musiciens talentueux et dynamiques, Scott-Pien Picard a présenté des chansonseninnu,salanguematernelle.Deplus, cet artiste a parlé aux élèves en français de sa passionpourlacultureetlalangueinnue.

Né à Sept-Îles, au Québec, Scott-Pien Picard est un auteur-compositeur innu de la communauté de Uashat Mak Maliotenam, une communauté innue de la Côte Nord. Il compose en innu, sa langue maternelle. Très jeune, il développe un réel talent pour la musique. Dès l'âge de six ans, il présente quelques spectacles dans sa communauté. Inspiré par les groupes MatenetKashtin,ildécouvreunepassionpourla

musique et la langue innue. Il n'en faut pas plus pourqu'ildévelopperapidementuntalentpourla compositionetl'écritureenlanguetraditionnelle. En 2015, Scott-Pien Picard participe à l'émission télévisée Le Rythme 3, atelier qui rassemble de nouveaux talents autochtones dirigé par l'auteur-compositeur Samian, et participe à l'événement Nikamun Mamuitun (chansons rassembleuses), rassemblant Autochtones et Allochtones à Petite Vallée en 2017. Cet artiste a produit son premier album soloSCOTT-PIENPICARDen2018etl'album Pekuaiapu(quisignifieenanciennelangueinnue « visionnaire – celui qui trace le chemin ») en 2022.

Provincialregulatorapprovessaleof ChapleauHydroassetstoHydroOne

Hydro One has received approval from theOntarioEnergyBoard(OEB)totakeoveras Chapleau’spowersupplier.

Last November, Hydro One signed a definitive agreement with municipally owned ChapleauPublicUtilitiesCorporationtoacquire Chapleau Hydro's electricity distribution assets to serve 1,200 customers in the northeastern Ontariotownship.

The OEB recently approved the application from Hydro One and Chapleau Hydroonthe$2.3-milliontransaction,expected to close in the coming months, according to a HydroOnenewsrelease.

StaffingshortagesatChapleauHydrolast yearpromptedtheOntarioEnergyBoardtoissue

an interim licence to Hydro One to operate the distribution system of Chapleau Hydro for six months while the township considered its optionstosell.

Thetownshipsaidproceedsfromthesale are earmarked for investment upgrades at the watertreatmentplant,infireservices,andatthe airport.

Hydro One is promising “exceptional customer service, greater efficiencies, and local investments.”

“WearepleasedwiththeOEB’spositive decisionasthepartnershipwithHydroOnewill bring tremendous benefits to the hard-working people of Chapleau,” said Ryan Bignucolo, mayor of the Township of Chapleau, in a

statement.

“With their local presence and 24/7 operations, we anticipate enhanced service and value for our township and the surrounding areas Our local electricity system requires substantial investment and modernization and I welcome Hydro One's support in preparing Chapleau for a more advanced and betterconnectedfuture.”

"Thepartnership willenergizelifeinthe Township of Chapleau through our continued investmentinexceptionalcustomerservice,safe andefficientoperationsandourlocalpresence,” addedTeriFrench,HydroOne’sexecutive vicepresident of safety, operations and customer experience.

PublicAwareness-UnregisteredOnlineCasinos

The Ontario Provincial Police, InvestigationsandEnforcementBureau(IEB),in partnership with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), is reminding

thepublictousecautionwhenchoosingtoaccess online casino gaming sites found through social mediaadvertisements.

OnApril11,2024,theOPP'sInvestigation and Enforcement Bureau was notifiedofasuspectedfraudulent gaming advertisement depicting anonlinegamingplatformhosted byCasinoRAMA Whenclicked, the fraudulent ad vertisement redirects the user to a false application download page. This webpage is associated to WinSpirit Casino which is an unregistered gaming website. Casino RAMAis not associated with WinSpirit Casino or any otherunregisteredonlinecasinos In Ontario, regulated gaming sites are held to high standards of game integrity, data security and player protections Ontario residents who choose to gambleonlinearebeingreminded t o b e a w a r e o f s u c h advertisements and to always ensure the gaming site they are playing on is registered with the AGCO A full list of Ontario's regulated casino and internet gaming sites can be found on the OLG and iGaming Ontario websites.

The IEB is a division of

the OPP, embedded within the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, and is responsible for conducting criminal, provincial and regulatory eligibility investigations to ensure integrity and public safety within the AGCOregulatedindustries

Chapleau Moments

by MichaelJ. Morris

Whileitwasoftenreferredtoas"aturkey trail through the bush," on January 28, 1949, in the midst of winter, Highway 129 was officially completed.

Since1885whenChapleauwasfounded as a divisional point on the Canadian Pacifc Railway, train travel was the only viable way of getting to and from the community. In 1947 the longest drive anyone could take was about 35 miles from town and the motor vehicle was consideredaluxury AsayoungsterIrecallthem arrivingbyrailattheoldfreightshedsonLisgar Street.

Ahighway had been promised for many years and activity would begin around election time but after the votes were counted, it would cease. However, in 1948, a disastrous forest fire changed the dynamics as the provincial government offered opportunities to lumber companies.

Therefore, Highway 129 was completed to Thessalon, and turkey trail it may have been, but a highway was a highway, and it was a first stepinimprovingChapleau'stransportationlinks withtheoutsideworld.

One of the major proponents for a highwayovertheyearswasThomasGodfreySr Mr Godfrey,whowasoneoftheearlybuildersof Chapleau,playedmanyrolesincommunitylife. Hewasreevefrom1914to1916,andatvarious timesownedthepoolroom,theoldasin"oldold" arena on Lorne Street, as well as being an insuranceagent,NotaryPublicandIndianAgent. He wasalsoaninventorandlongtimememberofthe Chapleau Town Band where he played the euphonium.

Writing in Chapleau Trails, edited and published by Dr WR "Bill" Pellow, Betty (Good)Godfrey,thewifeofThomasGodfreyJr wrote the following about her father-in-law and thecompletionofHighway129.

"Tom Sr. lived to see his beloved Chapleauhighwaycompletedin1949andhewas a member of the party that drove the first automobileacrossthoselastonehundredyardsto joinChapleautotheoutsideworldbyunitingtwo primitive bush roads. It was winter. The snow was heavy and deep. It was bitter cold day. The

Chapleauhighwaytooutsideworld opened on cold winter day in 1949

EarleSootheran,TomGodfrey,OliverKorpela

drivehadbeenlongandarduous,excitementwas high, anticipation of this moment was trying on thehealthiestandbravest,howeveritprovedtoo muchforTomGodfreyandonthatdaywhenhe was experiencing fulfillment, ultimate pleasure andsatisfaction,hehadaheartattackanddied."

Interestingly the first car that made the trip over the new highway was not one from ChapleauitwasanorthboundcarfromThessalon owned by Frank Korpela and driven by Tom Carter. The Chapleau group heading south had turned back to Chapleau after the death of Mr. Godfrey Thecarwasnewandwasequippedwith chainsandsnowtires.

According to a report in the February 3, 1949 Chapleau Post, there were bad road conditionsanditwasheavywithsnow.

The report said that snow was measured onseveraloccasionsandwas8-10inchesonthe highway and it was often necessary to stop and clearthesnowfromthegrillsofthecar Onafew occasions it was necessary to shovel drifts in ordertogetthrough.

Thetwomendidnotmakethetripinone day They left Thessalon about 9:30 a.m. in the morningbutstoppedatLessardsCampalongthe wayandfinishedthedriveintoChapleauthenext morning.

For some reason after the highway

opened,thedepartmentofhighwayspavedabout a twelve mile stretch in the middle of nowhere nearAubreyFalls.Ithinktheysaidtheywanted to check the durability of pavement in a harsh climate.

Over the years Highway 129 was improved, but to me at least, it was always an adventure to travel it. By the Sixties, Highway 101 had been completed between Chapleau and TimminsandWawa.However,theRamseyRoad continues to be a project unfulfilled for at least thepast50yearsaspromisesaremadeandthen brokentofinallycompleteit.

However,Tom Godfrey Sr and all those pioneer community builders deserve much credit, even to this day, on their efforts to open Chapleautotheoutsideworld.

Just a note to express my thanks to all those who have been sending me emails about Chapleau Moments. So much appreciated and I amdelightedtohearfromallofyou.Myemailis mikejmorris41@outlook.com

d’Ottawa

by/par Carol Hughes Federal member of Parliament Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing

Thisweek,thegovernmentputforwardyet another budget that lays out their agenda for the upcomingyear Itcomesatatimewheresomeofthe biggest issues of our time, including the costs of housing and food, require real work and investments to correct course. On one hand, some ofthemeasuresincludedinthebudgetwillprovide tangible benefits to working Canadians. On the other,itfeelslikemanyofthemeasuresoutlinedare adaylateandadollarshort.

Firstly,therearesomeitemsinthisbudget thatwillclearlymakeahugedifferenceinpeoples lives,measuresthatwouldnothavebeenincluded had New Democrats not been pushing for them. Thisincludesthedevelopmentofaframeworkfora CanadianPharmacareplanthat,initsinitialphase, provides access to contraceptives for nine million women and diabetes medication for 3.7 million Canadians. Also, the framework for a National School Food Program is one of the clearest examples of a measure that will ensure children nevergotoclasshungry,asoneinfourchildrenis currentlyfoodinsecure.

On a similar token, increasing funding for more$10-a-daychildcarespacesandtrainingmore early childhood educators will further help Canadians' pocketbooks. Many families currently spendmoreonchildcareeverymonththentheydo onhousing,inanenvironmentwherehousingcosts arerising.Withincreasedinvestmentstowardsthe building of more childcare spaces, and a $48 million investment to expand the reach of the CanadaStudentLoanForgivenessProgramtoearly childhoodeducatorswhoworkinruralandremote communities, more families should be able to access affordable childcare. Investments in childcarewillbeparticularlyhelpfultowomenwho traditionallybeartheresponsibilityforchildcare.

Butthemainfocusofthebudgethasclearly beenonhousing.Weknowthat,acrossthecountry, wearenotbuildingenoughhomestomeetCanada's needs,andfartoomanypeoplearestrugglingboth with the cost of rent and the difficulty of trying to purchasetheirfirsthome.Infact,theParliamentary Budget Office believes that 1.3 million more new homeswillneedtobebuiltby2030thaniscurrently projectedtoeliminatethehousingdemandgap.

Forrentersinparticular,thebudgetfeatures several measures New Democrats have been advocating for to lower costs and assert renters' rights. These include a $15-million Tenant Protection Fund, which will provide funding to legal services and tenants' rights advocacy

Budget2024isFocusedonAffordability,butLacksTeethtoGoAfterCorporateGiants

organizations to defend against unfair rent increases,renovictions,andslumlords.Thebudget also contains a measure that will give renters the ability to leverage their good payment history towardstheircreditscore,makingthembetterable toqualifyforamortgage.

For those trying to get into the housing market, Budget 2024 amends the Canadian Mortgage Charter by allowing 30-year mortgage amortizationsfor first-time home buyers who buy new builds, another New Democrat proposal While first time homebuyers may find these measureshelpful,theclearhurdleistheactualcost of a home, a cost that is far outpacing wage increases.

There were also further investments for First Nations, Indigenous, and Métis peoples, includingfundingfortheRedDressAlertprogram, designed similarly to the Amber Alert system, to notifythepublicwhenanIndigenouswoman,girl, orTwo-Spiritpersongoesmissing.Thebudgetalso

containslanguagesurroundingtheongoingworkto support Indigenous policing projects, and a commitment to introduce First Nations policing Legislation,anissuethatisparticularlyimportantto peopleinNorthern Ontario.

Thebudgethasitsproblems,aswell.After long delays, the Canada Disability Benefit will finallybefunded,providingthosewhoqualifywith anoffensivelysmalltop-upof$200permonth,not nearlyenoughtoliftpeoplewithdisabilitiesoutof poverty This budget could have eliminated previous Conservative tax cuts for the richest corporationsorputforwardawindfalltaxforthose companieswhoaregougingconsumerstolinetheir pockets,butneithermeasurematerialized.

Whilethebudgetistoolargetoeffectively examineoverthelengthofacolumn,it'sclearthat none of the measures that are designed to help Canadiansthrough the current cost of living crisis wouldbepossiblewithouttheNDPforcingthemto act.

Lebudgetde2024metl'accentsurl'abordabilité,maisilménagetroplesgrossesentreprises

Dans le nouveau budget qu'il a déposé cette semaine, le gouvernement présente ses projets pourl'annéeàvenir.Cebudgetarriveàunmomentoùcertainsdenosplusgrandsproblèmes,comme lecoûtdulogementetdel'épicerie,nepourrontêtreréglésqu'avecdeseffortsetdesinvestissements concrets. D'un côté, certaines des mesures énoncées dans le budget auront des avantages tangibles pourlestravailleursettravailleuses.Maisd'unautrecôté,beaucoupdesinitiativesarriventtroptard, ousonttropmodestes.

Premièrement,parlonsdesannoncesquiaurontclairementuneffettrèspositifsurlaviedes gens,etquelegouvernementn'auraitjamaisfaitessanslapressionexercéeparlesnéo-démocrates. Par exemple, le cadre pour la première phase d'un régime canadien d'assurance médicaments accorderal'accèsuniverselàlacontraceptionàneufmillionsdefemmes,etauxmédicamentscontrele diabète à 3,7 millions de Canadiens et Canadiennes. De même, grâce au cadre pour un programme nationald'alimentationscolaire,lesenfantsn'auronspasàpasserunejournéeàl'écoleleventrevide; c'estlàunemesureclairementbénéfiquequandonconsidèrequeprèsd'unenfantsurquatresouffre aujourd'huid'insécuritéalimentaire.

Dans la même ordre d'idées, la création de nouvelles places en garderie à 10 $ par jour et la formationd'unnombreaccrud'éducateursetéducatricesdelapetiteenfanceaiderontlesCanadiensà joindrelesdeuxbouts.Eneffet,denombreusesfamillesdépensentpluschaquemoispourlesservices de garde que pour leur logement, et ce, alors que le coût du logement est en hausse. Grâce à l'augmentation des investissements dans la création de places en garderie et à l'affectation de 48 millionsdedollarspourétendreleProgrammed'exonérationderemboursementduprêtd'étudesau personneléducatifdelapetiteenfancedanslescommunautésruralesetéloignées,lesfamillesseront plusnombreusesàaccéderàdesservicesdegardeabordables.Cesmesuresserontparticulièrement utiles aux femmes, qui assument traditionnellement les responsabilités en matière de garde des enfants.

Mais c'est surtout sur le logement que se concentre le budget. Nous savons que, partout au pays, nous ne construisons pas assez de logements pour répondre aux besoins du Canada, et que beaucoup trop de gens ont de la difficulté à payer leur loyer, ou ne réussissent pas à acheter leur première maison. De fait, le directeur parlementaire du budget estime qu'il faudrait construire 1,3 million de logements de plus que ce qu'on prévoit actuellement, d'ici 2030, pour répondre à la demande.

Lebudgetprévoitplusieursmesuresquelesnéo-démocratesréclamaientetquiréduirontles coûts pour les locataires, en particulier, et les aideront à défendre leurs droits. Citons le Fonds de protection des locataires, qui consacrera 15 millions de dollars aux organismes offrant des services juridiquesauxlocatairesoudéfendantleursdroits,afinqu'ilspuissentluttercontreleshaussesdeloyer injustes,lesrénovictionsetlespropriétairesquiexploitentleurslocataires.Uneautremesureaidera les locataires à renforcer leur cote de crédit au moyen de leur historique de paiements de loyers à temps,cequifaciliteraleuraccèsauxprêtshypothécaires.

Pourceuxetcellesquiveulentacheterunemaison,lebudgetde2024SuiteP.7

OntarioRaisingHighwaySpeedLimits

400-series highways will see posted speeds of 110km/h

The Ontario government is raising the speed limit permanently from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on 10 additional sections of provincial highwaysinnorthernandsouthernOntario.The changebuildsonthesafeandsuccessfulincrease to six sections of provincial highways in 2022 and aligns with posted speed limits in other jurisdictionsacrossCanada.

“Most of Ontario's highways were originallydesignedtosafelyaccommodatespeed limitsof110km/handthedatafromourchanges in 2022 shows they do just that,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation “These evidence-based increases are a common-sense changetomakelifemoreconvenientforOntario driverswhilebringingourhighwayspeedlimits inlinewithotherCanadianprovinces.”

Starting July 12, 2024, the speed limit

will be permanently raised to 110 km/h on most of the following provincial highway sections, withtheremaindercomingintoforcebeforethe endoftheyear:

· Hwy401,Tilbury,extendingtheexisting 110km/hzonefurthereastby7km

· Hwy 401 from Hwy 35/115 to Cobourg (approximately35km)

· Hwy 401 from Colborne to Belleville (approximately44km)

· Hwy 401 from Belleville to Kingston (approximately66km)

· Hwy 401 from Hwy 16 to Quebec boundary(approximately107km)

· Hwy 403 from Woodstock to Brantford (approximately26km)

· Hwy 403 from Brantford to Hamilton (approximately14.5km)

· Hwy406fromThoroldto Welland(approximately13km)

· Hwy 416 from Hwy 401 toOttawa(approximately70km)

· Hwy 69 from Sudbury to French River (approximately 60 km)

All highway sections were selected based on their ability to safely accommodate higher speed limits. Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan have a maximum speed limit of 110 km/h,whileinBritishColumbia, the maximum speed limit is 120 km/h.QuickFacts

· In 2019, the Ontario government launched consultationsandapilotprogram toexploreopportunitiestosafely increase speed limits on select Ontariohighways.

· In 2022, the government permanentlyincreasedthespeed limitonsixsectionsofprovincial highways in southern Ontario as well as two sections in northern Ontarioonatwo-yeartrialbasis.

· The permanent increase in speed from 100km/h to 110km/h will cover 36 per cent and 860 kilometres of Ontario's highwaynetwork.

· Stunt driving penalties will continue to applyat150km/h.Onthehighwaysectionswith increased speed limits, stunt driving penalties willapplyat40km/hoverthepostedspeedlimit.

"Join us for the first annual Spring Soirée this May! Mark yourcalendarsandattendacelebrationofspringtimeand music!Thisconcertwillbeapproximately1.5hrsinlength andwillshowcaseavarietyofmusicthroughvoice,piano, andukulele.Ticketswillbesoldbyparticipantsinadvance andwillbeavailableforpurchaseatthedoor." 705-864-2579

· Until 1975, Highways 400, 401, 417 and the Queen ElizabethWaywerepostedat70 mph(113km/h)beforebeingreducedduetothe energycrisis.

Attention:AreyouaSmallBusinessOwner? Doyourequire financing? Thinkingofstartingabusiness?

ThestaffoftheSuperiorEastCommunityFuturesDevelopment CorporationwillbeinChapleauonMay1st,2024 TheCFDC offers small business loans and counselling to current small business owners or individuals looking at starting a business. Services are available in both official languages. To make an appointment to discuss financing options, please call 1-800387-5776,ext.221oremaildavidson@superioreastcfdc.ca.

Attention: Êtes-vous propriétaire d'une petite entreprise? Êtes-vous en besoin d'aide financière? Vous-voulez vous partirenaffaires?

Le personnel de la Société daide au développement des collectivitésSupérieurEstseraàChapleaule 1ermai2024 La SADC offre des prêts financiers et des services-conseils aux propriétairesactuel(le)sdepetitesentreprisesetauxindividu(e)s intéressé(e)sàsepartirenaffaire. Nosservicessontdisponibles dans les deux langues officielles. Pour prendre rendez-vous et discuter de vos besoins d'aide financière ou pour obtenir des services-conseils,communiquezavecnousau1-800-387-5776, poste221ou parcourrielàdavidson@superioreastcfdc.ca.

Lastweekssolutions

MOMENTS IN TIME

OnMay7,1934,thePearlofLaoTzu,almost10 inches around and weighing about 14 pounds, was found by a diver in a giant clam in the Palawan Sea. Gemologists did not consider it to be a true pearl, however, as it did not have the iridescenceoftruepearls.

sales@northernlightsford.ca

Lebudgetde2024metl'accentsurl'abordabilité, maisilménagetroplesgrossesentreprises

SuitedelaPage4

lmodifie la charte hypothécaire canadienne et autorise l'offre de prêts hypothécaires avec amortissement de 30 ans aux personnes qui achètent une première propriété nouvellement construite – une autre proposition qui vient des néo-démocrates.Celadit,legrandobstaclereste le prix des maison, qui excède de beaucoup l'augmentationdessalaires.

D'autres investissements ont également étéréalisésenfaveurdesPremièresnations,des autochtones et des Métis, notamment le financement du programme alerte de la Robe rouge, conçu de manière similaire au système alerte Amber, pour informer le public de la disparition d'une femme, d'une jeune fille ou d'une personne bispirituelle autochtone Le budget contient également des dispositions concernant le travail en cours pour soutenir les projets de police indigène, et un engagement à introduireuneloiquireconnaîtraitlesservicesde police des Premières Nations comme un service essentiel, une question particulièrement importante pour les habitants du Nord de l'Ontario.

Par contre, ce budget est loin d'être parfait.S'ilprévoitenfin,aprèsdelongsretards, le financement de la prestation canadienne pour les personnes handicapées, celle-ci ne s'élèvera qu'à 200 $ par mois, un montant bien trop bas pour se sortir de la pauvreté. De plus, le gouvernement a raté la chance d'éliminer les baisses d'impôt que les conservateurs ont accordées aux entreprises les plus riches, ou

d'imposer un impôt sur les bénéfices exceptionnels aux sociétés qui s'enrichissent au détrimentdeleursclients.

Il faudrait beaucoup plus que ces quelques lignes pour analyser tout le budget, maisunechoseestclaire:sicen'étaitduNPD,le gouvernement n'aurait adopté aucune des mesures qui aideront les Canadiens et Canadiennesàtraverserlacriseducoûtdelavie.

need to be a residentoftheCentreinordertouseourservices Ifyouneedsomeoneto talktoorifyoujustneedsomeonetolisten,callourTollFreeCrisislineat1800-461-2242oryoucandropinattheCentre Wearehereforyou

For most Ontarians, the concept of federalism is something that seldom crosses our minds.

Studentsinschoolmightengagewiththe concept during their social studies or civics lessons. Someone with an interest in current events might come across references to the interaction of different levels of government whenreadingthenews.

Most often, I'd wager, we hear about federalism and jurisdiction when politicians are lookingtopassblameawayfromthemandontoa differentgovernment.

ormerPrimeMinisterJeanChretienonce commented on this fact when he received criticismonabudget,saying:“Ifyou'reamayor and you have a problem, what do you do? You blame the provincial government. And when you'retheprovincialgovernment,andyouhavea problem,whatdoyoudo?Youblamethefederal government. And for us, we cannot blame the Queen anymore, so we blame the Americans onceinawhile.”

I've seen this play out at Queen's Park quite a bit in recent months. If anyone were to tune in to Question Period at the legislature, of late, they will, without fail, see a government backbencher direct a question to one of the cabinetministersonthecarbontax.Infact,ithas been almost exclusively the only issue they've raised during question period for close to 5 months.

Withoutfail,thesepre-scriptedquestions will begin with the Conservative backbencher describinghowthe“federalcarbontax”impacts Ontario, and the government minister will respond with a call for the prime minister to “scrapthetax.”

When this trend began in November of thisyear,IwroteacolumnabouthowOntarians deserve action over these attempts at deflection. The Supreme Court of Canada decided that the implementation of a price on carbon is a matter the federal government can undertake and that the provinces must abide by the law. In other words,theonlythingthatwillchangethispolicy is a change in the Canadian government from a federalelection.

However, what I also pointed out in that column is a fact that is always ignored by the Progressive Conservatives when they lambast the price on pollution. Ontario has enacted and collects its own levy on greenhouse gas emissions called the Emissions Performance Standard(EPS).Thisprogramwassetupbythe Doug Ford government in 2022 and requires

PremierFordcanfixissuesfacing Ontarioifhehasthepoliticalwill

emitting industries to pay a price per tonne on theiremissionsthatexceedthesetlimit.

In most ways, it mirrors the federal government'sownprogram.Themaindifference between the two is that the federal program remits the collected money as a dividend, whereas the provincial program takes the collectedfeesdirectlyintotheprovincialcoffers. When challenged on the fact that the PCs have introduced their own carbon tax by a different name,PremierFordwillexcuseitbysayingheis forced to do so by federal legislation and the SupremeCourtruling.

This is a half-truth and a deflection to avoid addressing the obvious hypocrisy of the situation.

PreviouslyOntariohadadifferentsystem that provided a market-based solution to emissions, called the Cap-and-Trade program. This set up an economy where carbon credits were issued by Ontario, Quebec, and California that industries could buy and sell. A polluting business could emit up to the regulatory threshold. Then it would have to buy carbon creditsforanyexceedingemissions.Iftheycame in under their threshold and owned credits, they could sell them to other eligible businesses who neededthem.

Whiletherearevalidcritiquesofthecapand-tradesystem,Ibringituptopointoutthatthe premierwasnotforcedtoadoptthecurrentEPS program. Both a cap-and-trade system and a direct levy system would exempt Ontario from thatportionofthefederalbackstopprovision.

Rather, the premier chose it as his government's preferred policy. A policy that bringsinmillionsofdollarstotheprovinceyear afteryear

Currently, the EPS charges polluting industries$80pertonneofcarbontheyemitover the provincial limit. This will rise to $95 per tonne next year, and the province says it will reach $170 a tonne by 2031. In its first year, the program brought in $146 million in revenue for the Ontario government. With the threshold for emissions expected to lower and the price per tonnegoingup,itwillcontinuetobringinmore moneyeachyear.

Whenthegovernmentwasquestionedon howitplannedtousethefundsraisedbythelevy in January of 2023, there was little information. TheMinistryofEnvironment,Conservationand Parks said that they were “developing an approach for how to use the proceeds collected under the program,” according to a CBC article at the time. More recently, in a March article by the Toronto Star, the minister said that the government is giving the proceeds back to

industry to use on “technological upgrades” to reducetheiremissions.

However, the actual use of these funds has not been made explicitly clear This, I am sure, is in no small part because the Ford government knows how embarrassing it would be for them to admit they have a very similar carbon pricing program to the one they spend every day railing against. I imagine that many Northerners would agree with me that there are many great uses for those millions of dollars, such as helping to make their own homes more energy efficient reducing their monthly energy bills. Or, as a recent report called “Pathway Out of Energy Poverty in Northern Ontario” called for,usingthemoneytocreateaturnkeyprogram to transition low-income people off inefficient heatsourcessuchaswoodoroil.

I hope readers can understand why the grandstandingaboutthe“federalcarbontax”by theFordgovernmentringshollowtome.Clearly, they are willing to levy money from companies that pollute and then use that money to achieve their objectives. The only reason it is bad when the federal government does it, as far as Ford is concerned,isbecauseitispoliticallyexpedientto condemnsomeoneelsethantostandbyhisown record.

Playingtheblamegameandobfuscating the truth lowers the level of discourse in our country and does a disservice to Ontarians who want nothing more than a government that is honestandactingintheirbestinterests.Thereis noshortageofactionsthattheFordgovernment could take on areas that are within their direct jurisdiction.Housing,healthcare,education,and long-term care… these are all massive files that are explicitly under the purview of the province inourconstitution.

Understanding that there are serious failures on the part of the federal government is good,andpeopleshouldbeawareandactiveon thoseissues.However,wemustdrawthelineat buying into the rhetoric of an Ontario governmentthatsquanderstheopportunitytodo something about the files they were elected to manage and instead chooses to play the blame game.

I will leave readers this week with one more quote on federalism from political humouristW. HughArscott: “Canada is divided by great mountains, great prairies, Great Lakes, andelevengovernmentsthatreallygrate.”

As always, I invite you to contact my office about these issues or any other provincial matters.Youcanreachmyconstituencyofficeby emailatmmantha-co@ola.orgorcallToll-free1800-831-1899.