Columns

Michael Mantha’s News from the Park 240216
When it comes to Northern Healthcare, the Ford Government needs budget dollars to make sense February 16, 2024 With the start of the legislative session, I am eager to bring my Private Member’s Bill, the Northern Health Travel Grant Advisory … Continue reading

Michael Mantha’s News from the Park for 240209
Opening new surgical centres – Fool me once… You don’t have to be a learned scholar to understand the importance of Ontario’s forests. Of course, forests are integral to the economy for tourism and raw materials. However, they play a … Continue reading

Carol Hughes’ Column – We Need to Make Voting Easier for Canadians
If there’s one thing in politics that is sacrosanct, it’s the right to vote. Voting is the most fundamental expression of what a person wants out of their local representative, as well as the direction they want the country to … Continue reading

Michael Mantha’s News from the Park for 240201
Ontario’s Public Health Services: Creeping to the brink of collapse February 1, 2024 I am getting a bit concerned about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s welfare. Seeing him across the aisle when the House sits, he looks fine. But I have … Continue reading

Michael Mantha’s News from the Park – Long-term Care Oversight: It’s a matter of trust
The most recent editions of News from the Park have focused on Ontario’s catastrophic hospital wait times, staffing and funding issues for hospitals and increasing funding for our ailing healthcare system. Similarly, the columns discussed the need to promote training … Continue reading

Carol Hughes’ Column – Sale of Canada Post IT Services Goes Against Government’s Outsourcing Claims
Over the years, the Federal government has increasingly relied on outsourcing to private companies to get work done. While there will always be outsourcing of services that the government is ill-equipped to do themselves, the rate in which they, and … Continue reading

Michael Mantha’s NFTP for 240119 “There’s no place like home.”
Whether you are a doctor, nurse, cab driver, teacher or salesperson, we all understand that, along with the pleasures and perks that come with our jobs, we must accept headaches and heartaches. That’s just life. For me, one of the … Continue reading

Michael Mantha’s News from the Park 240112
Checking in with Algoma-Manitoulin hospitals January 12, 2024 We have now entered the period of the legislative calendar where MPPs are back in their constituencies for an extended amount of time. The Ford government recessed the legislature a week earlier … Continue reading

Carol Hughes’ Column – Prioritizing Passenger Trains Would Make a Huge Difference for Rail
This time last year, one of the big news stories coming out of the back end of the holiday season was the severe travel delays across Canadian airports. Thankfully, air travel was markedly more consistent this holiday season, and most … Continue reading

Dark Times And Black Humour — The Comedians Is A Beautiful Distraction.
“Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” For anyone who has stood before a group of people with the intention of making them laugh, those words are not a quote. They’re an epitaph. In surveys about panic and anxiety, no less … Continue reading