Ontario NDP leadership hopeful visits the Sault
The lone official candidate to be the Ontario NDP's next leader is on a tour of northern Ontario cities.
Today, Marit Stiles was in Sault Ste. Marie
The current MPP for Toronto Davenport is looking to fill the role left by Andrea Horwath's departure.
Today she spoke with local NDP members and supporters, but first met with the Sault’s municipal election candidates to learn about the concerns of northerners.
“I think it’s really important to not just send the message that it matters that you’re going to put northern concerns first, but that you’re going to actually listen to what people in communities like Sault Ste Marie want to see happen,” said Stiles
“Like, I’m not going to be the expert on that. I want to know what people here are are doing and they need.”
Michele McCleave-Kennedy, the president of the Sault Ste. Marie District Labour Council, was among those meeting with Stiles.
“As we all know northern Ontario and southern Ontario is different and so to have the potential leader of the opposition here in Sault Ste. Marie to discuss with local community people what’s needed, is essential,” McCleave-Kennedy told CTV News.
“We need to have our voices heard so that people know that the north is very different than the south.”
Her first northern campaign stop was in North Bay on Wednesday.
There during a roundtable discussion, she said a parent told her that schools need "triple the number of educational assistants in classrooms."
The NDP Leadership hopeful said public education is a priority of hers.
"It's not normal to have giant class sizes in our schools. That's not normal and we need to get back to realizing that we can do better than this."
Stiles is set to visit Sudbury on Friday and plans to return to Northern Ontario later on in her campaign.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
Russia reports downing 5 Ukrainian military balloons in Kyiv's latest apparent war innovation
Russian air defences downed what authorities described as five Ukrainian balloons overnight, the defence ministry in Moscow said Thursday, as the sides kept up long-range strikes that have featured heavily in what has largely become a war of attrition.