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ONTC workers bring fight to Fedeli’s door

ONTC workers rallied outside Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli’s Main Street Constituency office over the noon hour Friday asking the member Which Side of the fence he is on.



ONTC workers rallied outside Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli’s Main Street Constituency office over the noon hour Friday asking the member Which Side of the fence he is on.

General Chairperson’s Association President Brian Kelly and the employees were there demanding Fedeli clarify if he is for or against the sale of the ONTC.

In response Fedeli told the group he would take their message to Queen’s Park but that it is Dalton McGuinty they need to be directing the message at.

Fedeli, noting he will not support the budget, told the group that if he were to answer whether or not he is in favour of privatization would put him in a box and take attention away from the fact McGuinty has betrayed them.

Fedeli invited Kelly and a fellow union member inside for a short conversation, following that conversation Kelly informed the crowd Fedeli still would not clarify his position.

“All he had to said is ‘We’re with you’ ‘I’m with you’… he did not say that so figure out where he’s at.”

“This fight will continue and we’re not backing down.”

“Ontario Northland is not for sale!”



News Reporter Jeff Turl will be hosting a one hour TV special Friday night on Cogeco Cable 12 at 8pm focusing on the sale of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.

His guests are MPP Vic Fedeli, Mayor Al McDonald and General Chairperson’s Association President Brian Kelly.

The show will be replayed Saturday night at 7pm.

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General Chairperson’s Association
News Release

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The General Chairperson’s Association (GCA) which represents all unionized employees at Ontario Northland is calling on recently elected Nipissing Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Vic Fedeli for an unqualified statement against the divestiture of the ONTC.

During Question Period on Tuesday March 27, Premier McGuinty in responding to Temiskaming-Cochrane MPP Mr. John Vanthof question concerning the ONTC sell off, McGuinty pointed across the legislative aisle and stated “I’m very pleased to have the support of the member for Nipissing, whose community is directly affected by this. This is something we could not do without support from some members of the opposition, and I want to acknowledge the continuing strong support of the member for Nipissing for this difficult initiative.”

Employees, families and the community are notably troubled that Nipissing MPP Fedeli would let Premier McGuinty speak for him and we are shaken by the fact that we’ve seen no reaction from the local MPP. The GCA membership expected that with 45 minutes left in the session before it was adjourned for the day, that the Nipissing MPP Fedeli would have jumped to his feet to correct the Hansard record stating that the Nipissing MPP has not and will not support the divestment of the ONTC

In a conversation on Wednesday March 28 with the local MPP, GCA Spokesperson Brian Kelly stated “Mr. Fedeli, your constituents are concerned that you have twice missed an opportunity in the legislature to state your personal opposition to the McGuinty government’s plans to sell off the ONTC. Constituents and community leaders want to hear their elected member stating that he is in against the divestment of ONTC”.

“We had a frank and animated discussion and on behalf of the employees, families and communities, we asked our MPP to stand in his place in the legislature and state that he is opposed to the divestment of the ONTC. In the end he asked for time to think it over, we’ve not heard from him or his people since.” added Kelly

“MPP Fedeli regurgitates the Conservative party line that the McGuinty Government is bad but what the voters in Nipissing want is for Mr. Fedeli and his party to stand in clear opposition to this abandonment of the North. Our elected MPP Fedeli has to say categorically that the ONTC is Not For Sale. The City of North Bay unanimously passed a resolution to that effect this past Monday, surely MPP Fedeli is not going to also ignore that significant community voice”, continued Kelly.

“ONTC employees, their families, the citizens and Communities of Nipissing want MPP Fedeli to clearly answer the question, Which side are you on?” concluded Kelly.

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