CHAPLEAUEXPRESS
Celebrating25YearsofDedication:ChiefAnitaStephens'LegacyofLeadership
The Chapleau
Ojibwe First Nation recently celebratedamomentous occasion as Chief Anita Stephens marked 25 years of dedicated service to her community. The
milestone was honored with a gathering of dignitaries, family, and community members who came together to recognize and celebrate Chief Anita's remarkable leadership and unwaveringcommitment.
ChiefAnita's journey began long before her official appointment as Chief in September 1998, a role she inherited through traditional meansfollowingthepassingofherpredecessor, Baptiste Memegos. Her prior roles as a Band Councillor, Band Administrator, and involvement with the Native Child Welfare Program laid a strong foundation for her esteemedtenure.
GrandChiefAlvinFiddler,akeyfigurein the First Nations leadership, delivered an inspiring speech highlighting Chief Anita's impact. "Chief Anita's leadership has been transformative for the Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation," said Grand Chief Fiddler. "Her dedication to her community and her ability to bring people together have created a lasting legacyofstrengthandresilience."
DeputyGrandChiefBobbyNarcissealso shared heartfelt words, commending Chief Anita's advocacy for youth, self-esteem, and community growth. "Chief Anita has been a guiding light, always focused on the betterment of her people," stated Deputy Grand Chief Narcisse. "Her leadership has fostered an environmentofprosperityandunity."
Wabun Tribal Council Executive Director Jason Batise expressed his admiration for Chief Anita's tireless efforts. "Her commitment to her community is unparalleled. ChiefAnita'sworkhassignificantlyadvancedthe welfare and progress of the Chapleau Ojibwe FirstNation,"saidBatise.
Chief Anita's children, who were present at the
celebration, honored their mother with personal speeches.Theirheartfelttributesunderscoredthe deep familial and professional connections that havecharacterizedhertenure."Momhasalways beenapillarofsupportandguidance,"sharedher son, Leonard. "Her dedication has not only shapedourcommunitybuthasalsoinspiredour ownpaths."
Chief Anita received some video messages from colleagues that were unable to attend,displayingtheirheartfeltappreciationfor
From left to right :Kevin Tangie, Councillor/Economic Development Officer, Brunswick House First Nation, Chief Anita Stephens and Bobby Narcisse, Deputy Grand Chief,Nishnawbe-AskiNation
Cont’donP.2
ChiefAnitaStephens
Celebrating25YearsofDedication:ChiefAnitaStephens'LegacyofLeadership
Cont’dfromP.1 yearsofmentorshipandfriendship.Themayorof Chapleau was also in attendance, alongside many other colleagues, staff and family and friends.
Chief Anita's commitment to her role extendsbeyondherprofessionalresponsibilities. MarriedtoherpartnerPeterfor35years,sheisa proud mother of four, all of whom are integral staffmemberswithintheFirstNation.Herfamily alsoincludesfourgrandchildren,withhereldest grandchild actively participating in her office, illustrating the interconnectedness of her personalandprofessionallife.
The Chapleau Ojibwe First Nation, a vibrant community located just 3 kilometers from Chapleau, ON, has thrived under Chief Anita's leadership. Her focus on family, youth, and community development has resulted in significantadvancementsandimprovementsthat reflecthervisionforaprosperousfuture.
As Chief Anita Stephens celebrates this significantmilestone,theChapleauOjibweFirst
Nation and the broader community honor her enduring legacy of leadership, compassion, and dedication. Her 25 years of service stand as a beacon of hope and inspiration, demonstrating theprofoundimpactofcommittedleadershipon acommunity'sgrowthandwell-being.
Congratulations, Chief Anita Stephens, onaquarter-centuryofexceptionalservice.Your legacy is a testament to the power of dedication andloveforone'scommunity.
AwordfromourChief:
Thank you for being a part of this celebration for such a great fulfilment. I have always been an advocate to my community on many issues and I am always looking for inspiration to motivate and empower my community, its members, my family, the youth, theEldersandmystaff.
I take great pride in engaging in thought provoking, breaking the cycle, moving forward conversation while collaborating with my communityandlearningfromourpast.
Miigwetch,ChiefAnitaStephens
OntarioIncreasingAccesstoFreeMenstrualProductsinSchools Province expands supports for students and breaks down barriers
The Ontario government is breaking the stigma around period poverty by making sure schools across Ontario can offer free menstrual products to their students. Today, Todd Smith, Minister of Education, announced a new threeyear agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart to expandtheprovince'sMenstrualEquityInitiative andprovidemorethan23millionfreemenstrual productstostudentsoverthenext3years.
“Weknowthatwhenstudentscan'taccess or afford menstrual products, it often results in them missing school, work or other activities –but we're changing that,” said Minister Smith. “AccesstoproductsthroughOntario'sMenstrual Equity Initiative is just one more way we are removing barriers for women and girls so they can reach their full potential and realize their dreams.”
In addition to free menstrual pads and tampons,ShoppersDrugMartwillprovide1,380 dispensersinthefirstyeartofacilitatethedelivery of these critical health products in schools. Along with the 23 million free menstrual products – an increase of 3 million compared to the previous agreement – this represents an in-kind contributionofmorethan$8million.
Freemenstrualproductswillbeavailable toallschoolboardsandschoolauthoritiesacross
Ontario,aswellastheConsortiumCentreJulesLéger,whichwilldistributeproductstoindividualschoolsbasedontheirlocalstudentneeds.
“For too long, inequitable access to menstrual products has held millions back from reachingtheirfullpotential–everyabsentdayof schoolorsickdayatworkisamissedopportunity to learn, grow and thrive,” said Jeff Leger, President of Shoppers Drug Mart. “We're proud to continue this important partnership with the Ontario government to ensure more students haveaccesstothemenstrualproductstheyneed anddeserve,helpingtogetmorewomenandgirls in school and keeping them in class, where they belong.”
“The continuation of the Menstrual Equity Initiative strengthens equality and inclusion in Ontario schools,” said Charmaine Williams,AssociateMinisterofWomen'sSocial and Economic Opportunity. “By providing essentialproducts,wearenotonlysupportingthe physical and emotional health of students, but also enabling them to focus on their education and extracurricular activities without financial barriers. This initiative underscores Ontario's commitment to fostering a supportive and healthy learning environment for every student acrosstheprovince.”
Between 2021-2024, the first provincial agreementwithShoppersDrugMartprovided20 millionfreemenstrualpads.
A2023PlanInternationalCanadasurvey
foundthat34percentofCanadiansunder25who menstruatestruggletoaffordmenstrualproducts. Those who cannot afford menstrual productsmayexperienceahigherrateofabsenteeismfromschool,challengestoengagefullyin theclassroomandnegativehealtheffects,suchas infections and toxic shock syndrome. Period povertycanalsoaffecttheirsocialandemotional well-being.
KunuwanimanoChild&FamilyServicesand CUPE 5304haveissuedthefollowingjoint statementregardingtheirlabournegotiations
KunuwanimanoChild&FamilyServices and CUPE 5304 are pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached. Both parties will recommend ratification to their respectiveconstituents.
We acknowledge that during the negotiation, CUPE 5304 released a statement thatcausedoffencetothecommunitiesweserve. Forthat,CUPE5304unequivocallyapologizes. We are grateful to work with Indigenous communities on prevention-focused service delivery and child welfare. The Indigenous children, youth and families we work with are a source of inspiration. Their resilience and determination provide daily lessons to staff and ourorganizationasawhole.
WevalueourpartnershipwithIndigenous communities,andwearecommittedtodelivering servicesthatearntheirrespect.
Chapleau Moments
by MichaelJ. Morris
AhighlightoftheyearfortheChapleauHigh Schoolteamof1956wasatriptoTerraceBay. Back row from left: David McMillan, Doug Sleivert, Stan Barty,Thane Crozier, Clarence Fiaschetti(teacherandcoach),GeorgeLemon (principal)Secondrow:DougEspaniel,Roger Mizuguchi, Bill Cachagee . Front are Jim Hong, Bert Lemon, Harry Pellow, Ken Schroeder, Robbie Pellow (Mascot) Marc Boulard, Harry Hong, Jim Machan, Ron Morri
Harry'Butch'Pellowisoneofmyoldest friendsandrecentlyIsenthimanemailaskingif hehadanymemoriesofusplayinghockeyonthe front river as opposed to the 'pond' on the back river.As he notes in the following reply, not too long ago we had chatted about hockey on the pond.Nowhetakesustothefrontriver.
Imaginehowwonderfulitwastogrowup in a place with two rivers on which you could playhockey,andyoucouldgo"downthelake"by either one to a bay called Mulligan's. In Chapleau,youcouldgofromyourhomeasButch notes through other people's back yards, up or downbacklanesasthecasemaybe,acrosslanes to that place simply called "the arena" or if you wereoldenoughtorecall,theoldoldarenawas "therink".
Harry is a member of one of Chapleau's early pioneer families, and was the architect for theChapleauCivicCentre,ChapleauRecreation Centre, Cedar Grove Lodge, Chapleau General Hospital, the golf club house, and the Trinity UnitedChurch.Heisalsoagreatstoryteller.
Here is Butch with Chapleau in Winter and
Harry'Butch'PellowrecallsChapleauinWinterandHockeyonitsRiversabout entertainingourselves,laughter,beingoutofdoors,pushinglimits,buildingrelationships
Hockey on its Rivers. Thanks, Butch, for the memories.
ChapleauinWinterandHockeyonitsRivers
ByHarry'Butch'Pellow
Not that long ago we chatted about hockey on the pond over the old wooden bridge andacrossthebackriver,overahillockandnorth oftheoldsewagetreatmentplant.Whocanforget it when your best recollection was that your handswereblue,yourlaceswerefrozen(maybe from Saturday morning's practice), and your skates unrelentingly accepted your now almost frozenfoot.Butithaditsmomentsandthebraver amongstusendured.IhavesaidbeforeIwasnot oneofthebraves.
But there was another venue too and it was on the front river just west of the concrete swimmingpierwheresomanygatheredthispast July during the Chapleau High School 90th Anniversary Reunion to celebrate the homecomingandwatchthefireworks.
Likethepond,itarrivedwhentheicedid, but it was far more accessible, and collecting a grouprequiredfarlessplanningandorganization topulltogetherenoughplayersforshinny.Itwas often after school and on weekends and as you recallsurfacedoneChristmasholidayandmaybe because“Ice”Sanderswasunabletomakearink on the 'clinker' surface of the public-school grounds.
Pickup included anyone who could get enough equipment together to make it worthwhile and at the same time wear warm clothes. Warm clothes because the west wind,
however mildly blowing, was cold on that open river front and by the end of a school day or an early winter weekend evening the sky was grey, sunless, and foreboding; and had it not been for wild enthusiasm why would anyone choose the riveroverTheBostonCafé?
Well,theHongbrothersdidasyouandI did Mike, and what greater motivation should therehavebeenthanthat?
Whatmaderiverhockeyexcitingwasits spontaneity,theboundlessnessoftheperimeters oftheplayingsurface,thealmostundefinedroll ofscraped-offsnowandicealongtheedges;and that you always had to watch out for the ripples that had been created in the surface by the last breezesthatsculptedtheicebeforeitfroze.
Think of that slap shot by Hong, Hong, Hong,oroneofthereallybigCont’donP.5
HarryPellow2012
Harry'Boo'Hong,RogerMizuguchi,Butch
BooandButch1947
from OTTAWA Rapport d’Ottawa
by/par Carol Hughes Federal member of Parliament Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing
Lastmonth,theFinanceMinisterbegana 30-dayconsultationperiodtoexamineBeijing's trade practices in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, with the goal of determining whether CanadashouldfollowsuitwiththeU.S.andthe EUinapplyingtradetariffsonChineseimported EVs.ThiscomesastheU.S.hasrecentlyapplied a 100 percent tariff, and the European Union applied up to a 37.6 percent tariff, on ChinesemanufacturedEVs.
So why is this happening, and should Canada follow our closest trading partners in applying tariffs on Chinese-made EVs? The basic argument is that China is purposely oversupplying EVs for their own domestic market, with the express objective of selling those oversupplied vehicles in foreign markets. This undermines domestic vehicle production and import from countries that we have trade agreementswith.
The issue, according to our largest trading partners and the Finance Minister herself, is that the oversupply, coupled with pervasive subsidization of the supply chain and necessary components, non-existent labour or environmental standards that other trading partners would abide, give China an unfair advantage in world markets. This, as well as national security concerns about the influx of Chinesehightech,meanstheremaybeacaseto be made for applying tariffs if Chinese-made EVs are intentionally being overproduced for foreignmarketslikeourown.
Thisconcernisn'tjusttheoretical.China wentfrombeinganalmostnon-existentplayerin the EVmarketinCanada,withatotalimportof $84.5 million in 2022, to an astounding $2.2 billion in imports in 2023, a massive increase that now makes them the second-largest EV producing nation operating in Canada.This is a challengebecause,foryears,thegovernmenthas been directly involved in investments towards EV, battery, and battery component manufacturing projects along with the provinces, with the promise that it will result in billions more in return. Stellantis, Ford, Honda, and Volkswagen have all received some infrastructurefundingortaxincentivestosetup shopinOntario.Chinafloodingthemarketwith cheap EVs becomes a challenge to those Canadian manufacturers, undermines those
CanadaNeedstoBeProactiveon EVs,NotReactive
investments, and will hurt workers. While the Federal government has launched the consultation, provincial leaders seem to be the loudest voices calling for tariffs that would matchorexceedU.S.tariffsonChineseimports.
TheobviousappealofChinese-imported EVs is that they are cheap, particularly coupled with the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program that provides up to a $5,000 rebate on eligible EVs in Canada. For consumers,affordabilityisalwaysgoingtobea concern. The government has stated that they hopetoseeEVsaccountforone-fifthofallnew vehicles sold by 2026, 60 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2035. If they are to achieve that goal,thereneedstobeboththeinfrastructureto handleit,andthevehiclesthemselvesneedtobe affordable.Manypeoplewillbeanticipatingthe response from the 30-day consultation,
Véhicules
including auto workers, industry insiders, environmentaladvocates,andconsumers,tosee what the government intends on doing with cheapImportedChineseEVsandwhetheritwill have a significant impact on the future of the market.
If the government does intend on applying tariffs to those vehicles, can the government achieve its stated EV goals while protecting our homegrown vehicles? Certainly. But it would likely mean incentives for CanadiansbuyingCanadian-made EVs,aswell as EVs from our closest trading partners. New Democratshavebeenpushingthegovernmentto adopthigherrebatesforCanadianEVstomatch those the US has in place for their domestic market,whichprovidesupto$7,500inrebates. That would be a win for auto makers, a win for drivers,andawinfortheenvironment.
électriques:leCanadadoitcesserd'êtreàlatraîneetprendrelesdevants
Lemoisdernier,laministredesFinances a donné le coup d'envoi à une période de consultation de 30 jours sur les pratiques commerciales de Pékin dans le secteur des véhicules électriques, l'objectif étant de déterminer si le Canada devrait emboîter le pas aux États-Unis et imposer des droits de douane aux véhicules électriques importés de Chine. RappelonseneffetquelesÉtats-Unisontdécidé dernièrementd'appliquerdesdroitsdedouanede 100%àcesvéhiculesetquel'Unioneuropéenne afaitdemêmeavecdesdroitsdedouanepouvant atteindre37,6%.
Pourquoiagirainsi?LeCanadadevrait-il imitersesprincipauxpartenairescommerciauxet imposer lui aussi des droits de douane aux véhicules électriques fabriqués en Chine? Selon certains, la Chine produit volontairement beaucoup plus de véhicules électriques que ce quesonmarchépeutabsorberdanslebutexprès d'écouler les véhicules excédentaires sur les marchés étrangers. Cette façon de faire nuit à la production de véhicules ici au Canada et aux importations en provenance de pays avec qui nousavonsconcludesaccordscommerciaux.
Le problème, selon nos principaux partenaires commerciaux et la ministre des Finances elle-même, c'est que, conjuguée au subventionnement outrancier de la chaîne d'approvisionnement et des composantes essentielles et au fait que la Chine n'a pas à se conformer aux mêmes normes que les autres partenaires commerciaux dans les domaines de l'environnementetdutravail,cettesurproduction procure un avantage indu à la Chine sur les marchés mondiaux. Si on ajoute les préoccupations pour la sécurité nationale que représententlestechnologiesdepointechinoises, l'imposition de droits de douane peut trouver un
sens, si tant est que la Chine produit effectivement et volontairement trop de véhicules électriques dans le but de les écouler surlesmarchésétrangerscommelenôtre. Cette question n'est pas seulement théorique.Alorsqu'elleétaitjusqu'à,iln'yapassi longtemps, un joueur négligeable sur le marché canadien des véhicules électriques, la Chine arrive aujourd'hui au deuxième rang des pays producteurs de véhicules électriques présents au Canada, les importations ayant passé de 84,5 millions de dollars en 2022 à pas moins de 2,2 milliards en 2023. Il s'agit d'un problème, car depuis des années, le gouvernement et les provinces investissent directement dans la production de véhicules électriques, de batteries et de composantes de batteries en nous faisant miroiter des milliards de dollars en retombées. Stellantis,Ford,HondaetVolkswagenonttoutes reçu du financement destiné aux infrastructures ouobtenudesallégementsfiscauxpours'installer en Ontario. Or, en envahissant le marché canadien, les véhicules électriques bon marché chinois deviennent un problème pour les fabricantscanadiens,enplusdecompromettrela valeur des investissements réalisés et de nuire aux travailleurs. Tandis que le gouvernement fédéral a choisi la voie des consultations, les dirigeants provinciaux semblent être ceux qui réclament le plus fort l'imposition de droits de douane équivalant, voire surpassant ceux qu'imposent les États-Unis aux importations chinoises.
L'attrait le plus manifeste des véhicules électriques importés de Chine est leur prix, surtout lorsqu'on tient compte du programme Incitatifs pour les véhicules zéro émission, qui offre une remise pouvant atteindre 5 000 $ aux SuiteP.7
ChapleauMoments
Cont’dfromP.3 guys when it acceleratedover the ice ridges and soaredawayoutovertheriver;oratyoudirectly, thenveeredawayasitembracedtheripples.Can yourecallthesoundoftheskatescuttingthrough the crisp surface as they raced for the puck, can yourecallthewhack,slap,andclickingofsticks oneachotherandontheice?
Whatabouttheyellingandchantingand thecodewordsthatdefinedtheplay.“.overhere” “…pass it, pass it;” “…go, go go;” “he scores!” etc.….; wild enthusiasm and true abandonment because it would be dark very soon and there
wereveryfewlightstomarkthewayhome. There was a collective enthusiasm to makethemostofeveryminuteandeveryonewas insync.
Remember how difficult it was to take a breathinthecoldair,howyourbreathmadefog asyouskateduptheiceorpaused for 'a breather'? Wow!Your eyes were often half frozen shut and the ice crystals on your mitts madeitimpossibletoswipeyour nose.Nevertobeforgotten.
waswhenIwasingradesevenoreight.Therehad been a fast freeze, the ice was smooth and crystalline, there was no snow, and along with a fewothersincludingTinyMartin,CharlieWhite, maybeBooandyoutoo,weallventuredontothe iceobliviousofthedanger.Itwasthebeginning of an event that could have been catastrophic if one of us had walked too close to the edge and whatasadnightthatmighthavebeen.
I vividly recall Vern Goldstein clambering down through the snow from the TownHallofficewherehehadseenusfromthe Clerk'snorth-easternwindowandthencalledus offtheiceandsentushome.Iknewwehaddone somethingwrong,butitwasthethreatofPolice ChiefJackAngovecallingmyhomethatgaveit meaning. This was an experience I have never forgotten and the beginning of a long list of confrontationswithnaturethathavecausedmeto beveryrespectfulofit,andthedangersthatlurk initsbeauty.
When I got home that evening Wilf Simpson had called my mom, JackAngove had called my mom, and she was prepared for me when I arrived very cold, very afraid, and very apologetic. I'm pretty sure that was a Friday evening because I have a vague recollection of beingtold“nomorehockeyunless..”asIdressed forpracticethenextmorningbeforemakingmy trekinthedarkthroughEvans'backyard,through McKnight's, down Lansdowne, through Therriault's, and to the front door of the old unheatedarenaforamuchdifferentexperience.
Do you remember how the Hongs played hockey and skated?Yensprinted,waslighton his feet, very fast and dipsydoodled like no one else (except maybe Max Bentley). He even bore the nickname “Ziggy.” Jim was a powerful steady and fast upright skater and a great stick handlerasIrecall;andourfriend Booskatedlow,tooklongsteady deliberate strides, and always made skating fast look easy; he also had his skates rockered so therewasn'tmorethanacoupleof inchestouchingthesurface.
When you think of the sound of skates on natural ice, you can't help imagining these really great players doing their stuffcanyou?Wouldn'titbegreat toexperienceitallagain?
I recall one other particularly relevant experience on the front river Mike and that
The wonderful thing about river hockey inChapleauthatIthinkweallneedtothinkabout a lot as we get into the season of joy and remembrances is that it had no religious, racial, language or nationalistic perimeters; there were no upper town or lower town distinctions and I don't recall there being good players or bad players;albeittherewerelittleonesandbigones too. We were all players, and it was a game, a spontaneous moment, a gleeful opportunity to engageinroleplayingandindoingwhatnorthern boys and girls and their parents had done for decades before us. It was about entertaining ourselves, laughter, being out of doors, pushing thelimitsandbuildingrelationships. WasitJosephConradwhosaid “youth….thegloryofit!”?
TeeChambers,Butch,AldeeMartel1954
ButchandBoo
MOMENTS IN TIME
OnAug.13,1906,theall-BlackinfantrymenoftheU.S.Army's 25th Infantry Regiment were accused of killing a white bartender and wounding a white police officer in Brownsville, Texas, despite evidence of their innocence. All were dishonorably discharged. However, a later military investigation exonerated the men and their records were restored to reflect honorable discharges, but no financial settlementswerepaid. Lastweekssolutions
SuitedelaP.4 propriétairesdevéhiculesélectriquesduCanada. Pourleconsommateur,leprixconstituera toujours un facteur de choix. Le gouvernement dit espérer que les véhicules électriques représentent 20 % de tous les véhicules neufs vendusen2026,60%en2030et100%en2035. Si l'on veut atteindre cet objectif, primo, le pays aura besoin des infrastructures nécessaires pour répondreàlademandeet,secundo,lesvéhicules électriques eux-mêmes devront être abordables. Beaucoup de gens attendront de voir ce qui ressortira de ces 30 jours de consultation, y compris les travailleurs de l'automobile, les constructeurs, les environnementalistes et les consommateurs. Quel sort le gouvernement réservera-t-il aux véhicules électriques chinois bonmarché?Lesmesuresqu'ilprendrasuffirontellespourinfléchirlemarché?
Si le gouvernement décide de soumettre ces véhicules à des droits de douane, pourra-t-il quand même atteindre les objectifs qu'il s'est fixés concernant la proportion de véhicules électriques vendus tout en protégeant les
véhicules fabriqués ici? Absolument. Il faudra toutefois trouver des moyens d'inciter les Canadiens à acheter des véhicules électriques fabriqués au Canada ou chez nos partenaires commerciaux les plus proches. Les néodémocrates demandent au gouvernement de bonifier les remises associées aux véhicules électriques canadiens afin qu'elles soient au même niveau que ce qu'offrent les États-Unis, dont la remise peut atteindre 7 500 $ pour les véhiculesprovenantdeleurmarchéintérieur.Les constructeurs,lesconducteurs,l'environnement: toutettoutlemondeensortiraitgagnant.
Pimii Kamik Gas Bar & Gift Shop
Located on the Chapleau Cree First Nation SUMMER HOURS will be from 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., 7 days a week
Drop by and check out our line of Authentic Native Crafts, Unique Gift Ideas, Jewellery, and Gift Certificates TOO! We also carry road trip snacks, which includes Subs, Chips, Pop, plus a whole lot more. Your Propane Refilling Station
tgendron@northernlightsford.ca
Summer is finally in full swing across Algoma-Manitoulin, and with it comes a renewed appreciation for all the things that our partoftheworldhastooffer.Mostobviously,we are blessed with abundant natural resources in ourcorneroftheprovince.Wehavereadyaccess to pristine lakes, forests, hiking trails, and campgrounds, which provide we Northerners with many ways to unwind and spend their leisuretime.
Inthesamevein,wearealsogiftedwith so many wonderful 'human resources' in our riding as well. During the legislature's summer recess,Ispendmuchofmytimeattendingevents and festivals hosted by various municipalities, charitablegroups,andcommunityorganizations that take the time to organize and bring people together to celebrate our communities and all theyhavetooffer.Inaruralarealikeours,these are important reminders of the bonds that we have with each other and the ways we can all cometogetherforoneanotherintimesofjoybut alsointimesofneed.
In many ways, community spirit mirrors what I am trying to bring to my work as a politician at Queen's Park. Fostering healthy communities that have the resources, infrastructure and services to thrive is, in my opinion, the fundamental goal that we should striveforwhencraftingpublicpolicy.Tome,this means managing public resources responsibly and wisely and allocating them to advance the commongood.
Unfortunately, this basic principle is being sidelined by the Ford government, which has decided to squander public resources in favour of large corporations. Many examples of this trend exist, including making Ontario the province with the largest corporate subsidies or spending more of the healthcare budget on forprofithealthcarecompanies.However, theissue grabbing headlines over the past month centers on the ill-conceived deal to spend millions of dollarstoputalcoholinprivateretailers.
Asasummaryforreaders,thissagabegan backinMaywhenthePremierannouncedthathis government had come to a deal with The Beer StoretobreaktheMasterFrameworkAgreement (MFA)thatgovernedthesaleofalcoholoutside of the LCBO. The deal allocated $225 million fromthegovernmenttoTheBeerStoresothatthe MFA could end just over a year ahead of schedule.Ihavealreadywrittenonhowthisuse ofpublicmoneyisaslapinthefacetoOntarians who are struggling to find a family doctor,
Buyingalcoholisnotacrisis, sowhyisitFord'shighestpriority?
waiting hours in an ER, or can't find affordable childcareintheircommunity.
On July 5th, the LCBO workers, organized through the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU), went on strike demanding improved compensation, working conditions, and a reversal of the government's intention to introduce pre-made cocktails into other retail settings. On July 23rd, the strike concluded with the signing of a new 3-year contract that included wage increases, the conversion of 1,000 casual employees to fulltime and a guarantee that no LCBO locations wouldcloseoverthecourseoftheagreement.
However,thesaleofpre-mixedcocktails, beer, wine and cider in convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations is moving ahead on an expedited timeline. It baffles me as someonewhohearsdailyfromconstituentsabout what they want the government to address. Throughout my travels, crisscrossing the entire ridingallsummerlong,IhearpeopleinAlgomaManitoulin telling me they are concerned about their access to healthcare, as we see ERs threatening to close, wait times getting longer, andhospitalsgoingstrappedforcash.Peopletell me they struggle to afford a home and pay for electricityandgroceries.
Rarely, if ever, have people approached metosayhowdifficultitistobuytheiralcoholat anLCBOorBeerStore.
Not only is this new government policy notapriorityformostpeopleinOntario,butitis alsoaconcernformeasanMPPwhowantstosee the party in power use our public resources wisely.
Whatever your ideological opinions on alcoholliberalizationmaybe,thereisnodenying thefactthattheLCBOisamoneymakerforthe provinceofOntario.Itcontributesapproximately $2.5 billion annually to the provincial coffers throughretailandwholesaleoperations.Itisalso oneofthegovernment'sbesttoolstopromoteand distribute Ontario-made alcoholic products, given our ability to set procurement policies for crown corporations.Moving thesesales intothe private sector will mean a declining revenue streamforthepubliclyownedLCBO.
ThePremierhasbeenquicktotrytoplay this concern off by claiming that LCBO's tax revenue and wholesale operations will increase andoffsetthe declineinretail.However,thisis not easy to believe, given that retail makes up 79.4%ofallprofitsfromtheLCBOannually.His government has yet to present the numbers underpinningPremierFord'sassertion.Whenthe
financeministerwasquestionedabouthowmuch LCBO revenues could fall during a CityTV interview, he responded, "Who knows." This is hardly a response that inspires confidence that thegovernment'splanisathoughtfulapproachto public policy which will return benefits to the peopleofOntario.
Finally, there is also the fact that as alcoholsalesgoup,sowilltheassociatedcoststo our healthcare, justice, and social services. Already, Ontario spent over $7 billion on alcohol-related interventions in the last year, according to the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation 3.0. Experts all agree that as alcohol salesexpandtomorelocations,consumptionwill increase, and so will the costs to the province. With these systems already being starved for resources by the Ford government, additional burdens set them up to fall further behind in providingforthepeopleofOntario.
Changing the way in which we sell alcoholinOntarioisnotaninherentlybadthing. However, the approach that the government is takingunderPremierFord'sdirectionischaotic, wasteful, and irresponsible. It is setting us up to fall further behind and negatively impact our communities.
I know that across Algoma-Manitoulin, wecareaboutthecommunitiesinwhichwelive. I see it at every fair, every pow-wow, every commemoration and parade. The people entrust politicians and governments to protect and improve the resources that make up our communityfabric.
IfBuyingalcoholisnotacrisis,whyisitPremier Ford'shighestpriority?
I will always speak out against a bad policythatwillunderminethatgoal.Thisalcohol retail scheme by Premier Ford is one such bad policy.
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.