Another Liberal leadership candidate is out with a plan to improve the lives of northerners.
Michael Coteau has unveiled his northern Ontario plan and among the highlights includes a promise to re-establish a stand-alone Minister for Indigenous Reconciliation, the creation of a Premier’s Northern Advisory Council and hosting an annual cabinet meeting in the north.
The Liberal Party of Ontario will elect a new leader on March 7th.
Coteau’s plan for the region includes the following:
1. Put in place a new approach for Queen’s Park to work in collaboration with Northern Ontario and Indigenous communities.
-Establish an annual cabinet meeting in Northern Ontario
-Re-establish a stand-alone Minister for Indigenous Reconciliation
-Create a Premier’s Northern Advisory Council
2. Protect our natural environment and biodiversity in a way that sustains and expands resource-based jobs in Northern Ontario, particularly mining and forestry
-Support for sustainable mining and forestry
-Bring Right to Repair consumer protection
-Increase land protected by provincial parks
-Improve inter-municipal bus service
3. Unleash and fuel the entrepreneurial spirit of Northern Ontario and create the right “ecosystem” so Northern Ontarians can share and participate fully in the opportunities offered by the New Economy.
-Provide high-speed Internet access for every Northerner, through a utility model if necessary
-Provide targeted support for Northern infrastructure, including four-laning High- way 69 and the Trans-Canada highway, and supporting the Sault port renewal
•-Unlock the potential of the Ring of Fire with the roads, energy and housing infrastructure needed
4. Ensure Northern Ontarians have equitable access in their communities to the public services their tax dollars support—particularly education, health care and housing.
-Support Northern public buildings
-Improve Northern access to health care
-Better support Northern Ontario community hubs, particularly in schools
