NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is making an effort to bring real change to Northern Ontario.
That effort begins with their newly announced Northern Ontario platform.
The new platforms plan is to create and support good jobs, protect communities from the effects of climate change, and put reconciliation into action.
In an interview with the Q Morning Show Singh spoke on some of the major questions on people's minds. One question, in particular, is the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Who’s going to pay for this pandemic, Northerners are worried about that because they’ve seen in the past that a Liberal and Conservative government, what they do is cut the help that people need or put the burden back on them,” said Singh
“We are saying clearly there is another way. We are going to make sure that we make the billionaires, the wealthy corporation's start paying their fair share, so we can invest in the things people need,” added Singh
One of the biggest needs that Singh brought up is an investment into First Nation, and Indigenous communities, municipalities to assist in preparation and resiliency against forest fires. He is pushing for a contingency fund for Northern communities.
Another issue Singh wants to tackle in this platform is the little to no internet access in rural and Indigenous communities.
“We would treat this like public infrastructure the same way we build roads and bridges, we need to make sure that everybody has access to high-speed internet. It is vital for work, for school, for services. We would make sure we would invest in that,” noted Singh
Lastly, Singh brought up added funding to FedNor an economic development organization for Northern Ontario.
“We would make sure we increase the funding but also make sure there are strict strings attached, so any dollars put forward have to be tied to good jobs,” concluded Singh
Singh continued his campaign yesterday, September 13, 2021, with a visit to Sioux Lookout with Kenora riding NDP candidate Janine Seymour.
The five commitments by the NDP in their newly announced plan are; making life affordable, strengthening Northern services, fight for jobs and economic growth, putting reconciliation into action, and acting on climate change.