Latest news with #FranceGélinas
CTV News
3 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Longtime Sudbury-area MPP Elie Martel dies at age 90
Elie Martel, who held the former Sudbury East riding for the provincial NDP for two decades, died Aug. 13 at age 90. Elie Martel, who held the former Sudbury East riding for the provincial NDP for two decades, died Aug. 13 at age 90. A leading figure for the New Democrats in northern Ontario, his obituary said that he was first elected to the Ontario Legislature in 1967 and served as NDP house leader from 1978 to 1985. 'He doggedly fought for improved workplace health and safety and player safety in youth hockey,' his obit said. Elie and France France Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt, paid tribute to Martel on social media as a mentor in her political career. (Supplied) He worked for the CNR and Inco in his early years, before earning a BA in history from Laurentian University. He taught at St. Mary's school in Capreol before becoming MPP. 'After leaving the Legislature, Elie remained politically active, especially during election campaigns,' his obituary said. He and his wife, Gaye Martel, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on the day he passed. His daughter, Shelley Martel, was also an NDP MPP in Sudbury East and served in the cabinet of Premier Bob Rae in the 1990s. France Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt, paid tribute to Martel on social media. 'Residents will remember Elie as a good listener, a hard worker who was always willing to help,' Gélinas said. Elie and West Sudbury MPP Jamie West said Elie Martel was key in the development of Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act. (Supplied) 'I will remember Elie as a mentor who knew everything and everyone. It didn't matter where we went in the riding, he knew the people, their history, their struggles and their successes. Whenever I faced a hurdle, Elie was always there to help me. I know how fortunate I was to have Elie guiding me. I will miss him.' Sudbury MPP Jamie West said Martel was the driving force behind 'the Ham Commission, which became the basis of the Occupational Health & Safety Act in Ontario.' A visitation will be held from 1-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Sunday at Lougheed Funeral Home at 4605 Michelle Drive in Hanmer. A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church at a later date.
CBC
5 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Ontario's health critic calls for details after Grey Bruce health board reps fired
Ontario's NDP health critic is asking the province for more details about why all seven municipal representatives on Grey Bruce Public Health's 11-member board of directors were fired last week, while the four provincial appointees remain in place. France Gélinas said a vaguely-worded health ministry statement in response to questions about the firings doesn't go far enough to explain such a significant change in governance. The health unit serves a wide area around the Bruce Peninsula, including the communities of Owen Sound, Walkerton and Tobermory. "We need transparency here," said Gélinas, who represents the Nickel Belt riding. "The government cannot go on making serious decisions about the governance of public health based on ... what?" Gélinas was reacting to news the board's municipal representatives each received letters last week from board chair Nick Saunders advising of them of the "termination of all municipal appointees to the board" effective Aug. 6. The health unit is governed by an 11-member board which includes seven elected municipal politicians: three from Bruce County and four from Grey County. In response to questions from CBC News about the firings, the health ministry said Ontario's chief medical officer of health launched an assessment of the health unit's operations in 2023 following "multiple complaints" about the board's operations, finances and governance. The health ministry's statement said a report that outlines the medical officer of health's findings has been sent to Saunders "and we are currently awaiting their action plan." The statement doesn't offer any specifics about why the municipal board members were removed. The report has also not been made public. The ministry's statement said the health unit continues to operate normally and the province expects all board members — including those now removed — "to work collaboratively to inform their response to the chief medical officer's report." CBC News reached out to the health ministry for more clarification, but did not receive a response on Tuesday. Gélinas said the province should at least make public the chief medical officer's report. "The government appointees got to stay but the municipal leaders .... all got fired, more or less," said Gélinas. "If this has to do with the report, prove it. Otherwise, it has to do with political manoeuvring and getting people they want in charge of public health." CBC News reached out to all the fired board members for comment. Kevin Eccles, a former board member who is also mayor of the municipality of West Grey, said in an email response he would like to speak about what's happened but said after receiving legal advice "I am not making a statement at this time." Grey Country Warden Andrea Matrosovs and Bruce County Warden Luke Charbonneau issued a joint statement Monday saying they want to work with the health ministry "on the best solutions for residents." Bruce County warden 'concerned' In an interview with CBC News on Tuesday, Charbonneau said he's not been given a clear justification about why the municipal representatives were removed. He's also not seen the report mentioned in the health ministry's statement. "The county of Bruce is concerned about the whole situation," he said. "I have not seen a reasoning that provides a justifiable reason for the letters that were sent terminating our board members." The changes at Grey Bruce Public Health follow moves by the Doug Ford government to step in and take over in cases where local politicians appear to be struggling with fiscal management, including London's largest public school board and hospital. The municipal representatives removed by last week's decision include: Grey County: Andrea Matrosovs (The Blue Mountains). Sue Carleton (Township of Georgian Bluffs). Shirley Keaveney (Municipality of Meaford). Kevin Eccles (Municipality of West Grey). Bruce County: Don Murray (Township of Huron-Kinloss). Kenneth Craig (Municipality of Kincardine). Jay Kirkland (Town of South Bruce Peninsula). The provincial appointees who remain in place are: Nick Saunders (Chair). Chad Richards (Vice-chair). Helen-Claire Tingling. Beverly Wilkins.
CTV News
25-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Sudbury marks Saint-Jean Baptiste Day
Ceremonies were held Tuesday in Greater Sudbury as many French speaking Canadians celebrated Saint Jean Baptiste Day. French-speaking Canadians were celebrating their culture Tuesday on Saint-Jean Baptiste Day. In Greater Sudbury, officials hoisted the Franco-Ontarian flag at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex. Sudbury is the birthplace of the green and white flag that represents the Franco-Ontarian community. Saint Jean Baptiste French-speaking Canadians were celebrating their culture Tuesday on Saint-Jean Baptiste Day. In Greater Sudbury, officials hoisted the Franco-Ontarian flag at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex. (Angela Gemmill/CTV News) 'It's an opportunity to get together, to showcase … the importance of the culture in our community, but also open up a conversation to realize the (evolution), as well as the contributions, of the Francophone community in our great city,' said Mayor Paul Lefebvre. Saint Jean Baptiste Day is a holiday in Quebec, but Francophones across the country also celebrate the patron saint, including in northern Ontario. The day is about celebrating culture, heritage, traditions and the French language. 'We're proud of who we are, we're proud of where we come from, of our language, of our culture,' said Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas. Deep cultural pride 'Most Franco-Ontarians in Sudbury are bilingual and we'll switch to English whenever it's appropriate. But at the same time, we keep this deep-down cultural pride that we belong to this culture.' St. Jean 3 French-speaking Canadians were celebrating their culture Tuesday on Saint-Jean Baptiste Day. In Greater Sudbury, officials hoisted the Franco-Ontarian flag at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex. (Angela Gemmill/CTV News) Saint Jean Baptiste French-speaking Canadians were celebrating their culture Tuesday on Saint-Jean Baptiste Day. In Greater Sudbury, officials hoisted the Franco-Ontarian flag at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex. (Angela Gemmill/CTV News) 'We made our community better because of our culture and we want it to continue,' Gélinas added. Roughly one-third of the population in Greater Sudbury identifies as Francophone. 'Thirty-five per cent of the population says that they can keep a conversation in French,' said Joanne Gervais, executive director of L'Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario du grand Sudbury. 'That means 35 per cent of the population speaks French. Those that identify as Franco-Ontarian, as first language, etc. we're down around 25 per cent … The Francophone community is growing -- the problem is we're not growing as quickly as the English population.' In Sudbury, many schools, institutions and groups are committed to keeping the language thriving and Franco-Ontarian issues represented. The green and white flag was first flown in Sudbury on Sept. 25, 1975, and was recognized as the official emblem of the Franco-Ontarian community in 2001. Plans are in the works to mark the 50-year anniversary of the flag this fall.
CTV News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Ontario now allows accents on Outdoors Cards
French-language speakers can now have accents in their names on Ontario outdoors cards, says Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, who pushed for the change, with mailing addresses also including accents, while efforts continue to add them to OHIP cards.
CBC
12-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Northern Ontario MPP calls on province to sell homes it owns in rural community
A northern Ontario MPP wants the provincial government to sell around 20 properties it owns in the community of Gogama so workers at a nearby mine can purchase them. Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas says the province has owned the properties, which include homes, for over a decade and she's been asking for it to sell them for the last five years. But she says the government has responded on several occasions that each property would need to be assessed before it is sold. "It is not reasonable for a government to take five years to assess a $200,000 house," Gélinas said. "It cannot be seen as anything but you don't care about northern Ontario ... Because if you cared about northern Ontario, you would have assessed those homes, they would have been put up on the market." Because Gogama, home to about 300 people, is in an unorganized area outside of municipal boundaries, the province came to own several buildings that were abandoned when forestry mills in the area closed. The province has continued to maintain those properties, but hasn't sold them despite multiple requests to do so. Gélinas notes it's a two-hour drive for workers at IAMGOLD's Côté Gold Mine to travel from Sudbury to the mine site, located near Gogama. It's a similar distance for workers driving in from Timmins. "They have stable employees who would like to not have to drive two hours from Sudbury," she said. Many of those employees stay at a camp at the mine, with its own cafeteria, for multiple days at a time while they are on shift.
