Andrea Horwath, the new leader of Ontario’s New Democrats, joined thousands at the International Plowing Match today near Earlton, Ontario and called for better solutions to help rural and northern families in tough economic times

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath today demanded action from the McGuinty government to prevent further bus service cuts in Northwestern Ontario.

Earlier this month, Greyhound Canada announced it was looking at shutting down bus service, both in Northwestern Ontario and in Manitoba.

Yesterday, during the third day of a legislative committee’s public hearings into the bill that will change Ontario’s Mining Act, Liberal and Conservative MPPs voted down an NDP motion to extend the September 7 deadline to file amendments. As a result, it will make it impossible to properly consult affected communities. MPPs won’t have the time to make necessary amendments to the bill.

Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas says Northern Ontarians living in unincorporated areas deserve a fair Provincial Land Tax.

“Before this new Provincial Land Tax is implemented, the McGuinty Liberals need to listen to Northern Ontarians. Many property owners in unincorporated areas have been calling my office worried about the impact these changes will have on their property taxes and whether their taxes will be used to improve badly needed local services,” said Gélinas, today at a government information session on the tax.

NDP MPP Gilles Bisson says the McGuinty Liberal plan to conserve half of Ontario’s boreal forest is nothing more than a hollow announcement.

“New Democrats support conservation of the boreal forest, however, this announcement is short on details and long on promises. The McGuinty Liberals have created a lot of uncertainty in the North, which is already facing economic hardship. We have to ensure there is a balance between environmental conservation and sustainable development,” said Bisson.

NDP Leader Howard Hampton called on the McGuinty Liberals today to keep their promises and release money they announced multiple times over the last three years to bolster the forestry industry.

Hampton was responding to a statement made yesterday by Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield that she didn’t have a “magic wand” that would fix the crisis affecting the forestry industry.