Green, Scot Kyle
Establish a Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs office in Thunder Bay to assist and facilitate the ever-growing needs of Aboriginal people in the City and Region.
The Green Party recognizes the growing need for a matrix of social and cultural services to serve increasing aboriginal population in Thunder Bay and surrounding area. Any facilities should be decided upon by a citizenry council with government and particularly First Nations involvement.
Develop Provincial energy policies that provide competitive pricing and energy sufficient to meet the supply needs anticipated for industrial and residential growth in the North.
We are paying far too much for an energy grid in need up upgrades. With a decentralized energy system, which embraces the already successful FIT and Micro-FIT programs, which allow for local generation, much will be possible to reduce our costs by localizing our transmission. Of course this Green upgrade will mean much local opportunity for small business to partner in. There are already numerous local businesses benefiting from this program and Greens would further empower business initiatives, which are sustainable and regenerative.
Commit to the principles of the Northern Ontario Growth Plan and support its implementation including devolution of decision-making authority to Northerners.
The Green Party is committed to the basic principles of the Northern Ontario Growth Plan. The key component is that the decision making authority be owned by the primary stakeholders of the region: being the people of the various communities. In this manner, from a Green perspective, proper environmental assessment will be observed and acted upon accordingly.
Support enhanced dedicated municipal infrastructure funding that addresses the many challenges of public infrastructure in Ontario.
The Green Party fully recognizes the outdated and sadly lacking municipal infrastructure. Contacts for these upgrades should always be granted to local contractors but also scaled to what is affordable and viable. The playing field should be transparent and fair. The Greens have an actual mandate to abrogate “back room deals” in the awarding of contacts.
Provide basic community services in Thunder Bay for users who require culturally sensitive services such as;
1. Withdrawal management and crisis housing for people dealing with serious substance use issues.
2. Regional Transitional Housing for people visiting the region who require support and services not offered in their home communities.
Instead of large institutions, the Green Party is proposing a much more accessible store-front, community health and social needs model which would provide facilities to bridge the gap in services otherwise lacking in smaller outlying communities. The design and scale of such facilities would be done by community stakeholders through the assemblage of interested councils which would properly unite the public and private spheres.
Provide alternate Non-Emergent Transportation for residents of Thunder Bay and the District served by Superior North Emergency Medical Service (EMS).
This is a highly complex need and funding issue, which would require further fleshing-out. An introduced service would have to prove capability and be merged in such a way as not to usurp what we’ve already proven adequate and in place.
Adopt an Ontario Crime Prevention Strategy that provides core funding for crime prevention initiatives to municipal crime prevention councils.
The Green Party is clear that crime prevention should be in the hands of community members who can actually see what is going out the windows and in the back lanes of their neighborhood. Again citizen councils need to be assembled with combinations of social work professionals, councilors and public servants. Education and awareness initiatives would be ongoing. Where has the neighborhood watch program evaporated to?
Support in principle the development of a new Thunder Bay Event Centre subject to completion of the detailed Phase 2 Feasibility Study.
I see the development of such a multiplex as unnecessary given the answers and needs outlined in your above inquiries. Such a project betrays priority given to a luxury item in a time much more in need of basic human facilities.
