The unions representing employees at the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) said they're out to put Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci out of a job.
With the Ontario government proceeding with its divestment of the ONTC starting in September with discontinuation of the Cochrane-to-Toronto passenger rail service, the Ontario Northland General Chairperson's Association (GCA) said it's putting boots on the ground in Bartolucci's home riding of Sudbury to force him to retire from public office.
“Minister Bartolucci, more than anyone, must see the writing that's on the wall, that he has no chance of being re-elected in his riding in the next provincial election,” said GCA spokesman Brian Kelly in an Aug. 19 statement.
“We are committed to mobilizing our members and retirees whose families, communities and futures are threatened and we will flood the Sudbury riding with feet on the ground for the sole purpose of putting Bartolucci out of of work, not much different than what the McGuinty government is doing to Northerners with the liquidation sale of ONTC.”
The unions also want Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan to conduct an investigation into the mismanagement of the ONTC Pension Plan.
Earlier, John Strang, the president of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce, called on Bartolucci to retire, stating the Sudbury MPP has “failed all Northerners” and is “no longer an effective representative of the North.”
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