Lou Rinaldi, Liberals deny PC bid for Northern voice on municipal board

Kathleen Wynne has slighted Northerners yet again by refusing to give them an important voice in municipal decision making.

A Liberal-dominated Legislative Committee – led by MPP Lou Rinaldi, who recently came under fire for his “No Man’s Land” comment  – voted down an amendment yesterday that would have guaranteed Northern representation on a board that deals with OMB appeals.

“Why does your government continuously shut Northern Ontario out?”  Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli asked the Premier today in Question Period.
 
“Why did Lou Rinaldi and the Liberal-dominated committee deny the North an opportunity to have their voices heard? “
 
Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller told the Committee that the biggest complaint heard around Northern Ontario is about Toronto-based decision making, and Northerners are frustrated by decisions that just don’t work in the North. 
 
“Northern Ontario is tired of being ignored by this Liberal government,” said Miller. 
 
“The OMB doesn’t just impact the GTA. It doesn’t just impact the suburbs and big cities.  It impacts every single community – large and small – in Ontario,” Miller added.
 
“Why did the Liberal committee vote down this sensible and inclusive amendment? Why does this government think that insiders at Queen’s Park are better able to deal with Northern housing issues than people from Northern Ontario?”