The local NDP MPP is panning the PC government's new Ontario budget.
Algoma-Manitoulin's Michael Mantha calls it a "true blue Conservative budget", warning that rural and especially Northern Ontario will "feel the hardships" from cuts to several ministries, including cutting the Indigenous Affairs budget in half, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars less for Natural Resources and Forestry, Northern Development and Mines, and Agricultural Food and Rural Affairs, as well as "far less than inflation" for health care and education.
While Mantha acknowledges there are some nice promises in the document, he takes it with far more than a grain of salt.
Mantha particularly criticizes the changes to license plates and a lack of enforcement information accompanying the changes to alcohol sales - and he says this budget signals more privatization is on the way in the province.
The Algoma-Manitoulin MPP says the priorities of the PC government "are not with everyday Ontarians".
Still, Mantha vows to pressure the PC government and pass on concerns from constituents - either speaking out in the Legislature or meeting with ministers - though he also hopes Ontarians will mobilize to show their frustration.