GCA says Bartolucci's reasons to kill ONTC become ever more far fetched

ONTC GCA New Release

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Representatives from the General Chairperson’s Association (GCA) which represents all unionized employees at Ontario Northland (ONTC) remain in the dark as to just who Minister of Northern Development and Mines Rick Bartolucci consulted leading to his decision to kill the ONTC’s integrated passenger and communication system in Northern Ontario.

“Every time Minister Bartolucci attempts to justify his ONTC liquidation sale, the reasoning becomes ever more far
fetched. This past week’s mutterings were not only mind-boggling, they were laughable. In a Sudbury CBC radio interview (Aug 16), Minister Bartolucci threw out the wildest reason of all, that Northern Ontario does not need or deserve a parallel passenger service” said Brian Kelly spokesperson for the GCA.

“Bartolucci stated during the interview that with the train and bus service owned by the same entity (ONTC), in
Bartolucci’s view, they are competing against each other and that is not effective or efficient. We wonder if
Minister Bartolucci has the courage to say the same to Metrolinx serviced communities in southern Ontario like
Aurora (10 trains, 64 buses daily ), or Georgetown (10 trains, 35 buses daily) or Milton (16 trains, 52 bus trips
daily) or even Barrie where Metrolinx is adding trains to the schedule on a monthly basis” added Kelly.

Metrolinx model mirrors the ONTC except that the Liberals continuously feed billions of dollars yearly into Metrolinx for all kinds of capital projects.

“An example of that disdain can be seen in the allocation of government investment in North vs South. In Pickering for instance, Metrolinx is constructing a $22M pedestrian bridge described as being “wrapped in a metallic, mesh-like skin, giving it a fluidic and organic appearance. LED lighting will illuminate the bridge at night, making it a luminous beacon that will signify where Pickering and Durham Region begin” said Kelly referring to a media announcement.

“Unbelievable, when compared to a northern bus passenger boarding or arriving in Azilda, Butler Lake, Dowling,
Kenogami, Mattice, Swastika or Trout Creek to name but a few, they end up standing at the side of the highway in
the blowing snow and cold, with no shelter and often with no access to a phone to even call a cab. Bartolucci is
now promoting this as enhanced service. What planet is he on?” added Kelly

Minister Bartolucci has yet to provide any rationale business or public policy reason for breaking up the ONTC
into pieces and placing them up in a liquidation sale. The GCA and community partners have been advocating for
a NEW DEAL and looking for the opportunity to meet Minister Bartolucci, and all we received back is a heavily
censored document of which all details remain a heavily guarded secret which Bartolucci refuses to explain to
Northerners. This is just another example of McGuinty’s contempt for Northerners” concluded Kelly.

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