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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.