Latest news with #LisaGretzky
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Local NDP MPP tables motion to repeal Strong Mayor Powers legislation
The New Democrat MPP for Windsor West has tabled a motion to repeal the Strong Mayor Powers legislation. Lisa Gretzky tabled the motion on Wednesday in the Ontario Legislature, urging the Doug Ford government to rescind these powers that were granted in 2022. Windsor was granted strong mayor powers in 2023. Recently, the powers were expanded to dozens of additional municipalities, including all of the Essex County municipalities, despite indication locally that they did not want these powers. At the end of April, Windsor city council voted 8-3 in favour of sending a letter to Premier Doug Ford requesting that Windsor be removed from the list of municipalities designated under the Strong Mayor legislation. These powers were put in place to offer tools to help heads of council cut red tape and speed up the delivery of key shared municipal-provincial priorities such as housing, transit, and infrastructure in their municipalities. Gretzky said these powers don't make local cities stronger - they make them less democratic, and they silence the diverse voices of elected representatives. 'We have people in our communities, constituents and elected officials, that truly believe in democracy,' she said. 'They believe that city councillors are elected to represent constituents and bring their voice and their vote to the council table, and that majority rule should be respected.' She said while these powers were put into place to help speed up priorities such as housing, those targets still aren't being met. 'The province is not even meeting its own housing targets, even though they are giving these powers to municipalities, and basically trying to point the finger at municipalities and saying, 'well it's your responsibility, we've given you strong mayor powers, now build housing'. We're not meeting housing targets; we're not building the appropriate housing that people need in our community,' Gretzky said. She said the concern also lies with how future mayors will handle these powers. 'It really has opened the door for at some point a mayor to potentially overstep those powers and abuse those powers. This is not about good governance; this is about executive overreach. We need to be returning decision making back to the councillors and reinstating majority rule,' she added. Gretzky said that the provincial government has decided to shut the legislature down for an extended period of time, meaning MPPs won't be sitting until late October. She said this motion likely won't be debate on until early 2026 - but that the government can pause these powers if they decide to do so before they sit again. Strong mayor powers came into effect for the 169 additional municipalities across Ontario on May 1. - Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News.
CBC
26-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Talks stalled as hearing services workers' strike stretches into 5th week
Social Sharing Some Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) workers across Ontario who are entering the fifth week of a strike came to Queen's Park Monday to bring more attention to their contract demands amid stalled talks. They were joined by members of the deaf and hard of hearing communities, and Windsor West NDP MP Lisa Gretzky. Roughly 200 staff at the agency — a registered charity — support people who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing. Those employees include counsellors, audiologists and interpreters. They are seeking a two-year deal with a five per cent total wage increase. Marriot Otchere, a general support service worker with CHS, said with the aid of an interpreter that she chose to workfor CHS for 13 years because of the care they pour into their clients, but now things are changing. "We give them everything, but we don't get enough in return," she said. "Their actions don't match what they say, and they don't show us the respect we deserve. It's not fair, it's not right and it cannot continue. "We are burnt out, overwhelmed and stressed." Otchere said she and other CHS workers worry about affording groceries and paying rent. "We can't continue this way. We have no wage increases or very minimal ones, while their salaries have skyrocketed… It's exhausting to continue this way. We can't continue to do it this way." Otchere said a fair deal would mean no burnout, reduced stress and appropriate supports in place. "I'd rather be back at my job and focusing on the clients that need me." Gretzky took aim at the compensation received by CHS CEO Julia Dumanian, who earned over $340,000 in 2024, according to the Sunshine List. She added that an audit of CHS has been requested three times, but the government "diverts, distracts and ignores" those requests. "Why the secrecy? Why the lack of accountability? Why are front-line workers expected to settle for scraps, and in some cases access food banks, while management salaries continue to soar?" CHS did not make anyone available for an interview Monday. However, in a news release, it said CUPE Local 2073 walked away from bargaining with the approved mediator on May 21, and refused to set additional bargaining dates. Union, employer at odds over who walked away "Canadian Hearing Services did not walk away from bargaining and remains fully available to present our offer to union members when CUPE 2073 agrees to do so. Until then, CUPE is depriving their members of seeing our offer," the release said. Mara Waern, president of CUPE 2073, said the union didn't walk away. "We didn't walk away from the table; they walked away. It's frustrating when the employer is continuing to misrepresent what happened." CHS leadership has 'lost their connection with the deaf community:' deaf entrepreneur Andrea Zackery, who is deaf and a business owner, said she has used CHS services for many years and "felt heard and connected." "However, CHS has changed, and it's been a lot of change and we need new change and we need that to happen now," she said, with the aid of an interpreter. "So many offices have closed. Services have moved online. There are long wait times. There are not enough interpreters. There's fewer deaf staff within the organization, and we feel pushed out and disconnected and left behind." Zackery said the workers deserve respect and fair pay and are right to be on strike because they're doing more with less. "The CHS leadership has lost their connection with the deaf community. We can't say we support the deaf while at the same time you're underpaying deaf staff."
Business Wire
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
MEDIA ADVISORY: CUPE 2073 to Hold Press Conference at Queen's Park on Monday as Canadian Hearing Services Refuses to Bargain
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) came to the negotiating table last week amidst an ongoing province wide strike impacting thousands of Deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Ontarians, they did so not to bargain - but to demand silence and acquiescence. CHS said they'd only be willing to make an offer to settle the month-long strike if their list of conditions was met; this included an end to a campaign meant to shine a light on how CHS has distanced itself from the Deaf community, and a total media blackout. These conditions would allow CHS to further mistreat workers while undermining the meaningful community support that is growing across the province. Instead, CUPE representatives, frontline workers, Deaf advocates, and the NDP will be holding a press conference at Queen's Park on May 26 to share how CHS is gaslighting workers, ignoring Deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Ontarians, and damaging collective bargaining. CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn, NDP Shadow Minister of the MCCSS Lisa Gretzky, General Support Services counsellor Marriott Otchere, and Deaf entrepreneur and CHS client Andrea Zackary will be presenting. od/COPE491
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MEDIA ADVISORY: CUPE 2073 to Hold Press Conference at Queen's Park on Monday as Canadian Hearing Services Refuses to Bargain
TORONTO, May 22, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--When Canadian Hearing Services (CHS) came to the negotiating table last week amidst an ongoing province wide strike impacting thousands of Deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Ontarians, they did so not to bargain - but to demand silence and acquiescence. CHS said they'd only be willing to make an offer to settle the month-long strike if their list of conditions was met; this included an end to a campaign meant to shine a light on how CHS has distanced itself from the Deaf community, and a total media blackout. These conditions would allow CHS to further mistreat workers while undermining the meaningful community support that is growing across the province. Instead, CUPE representatives, frontline workers, Deaf advocates, and the NDP will be holding a press conference at Queen's Park on May 26 to share how CHS is gaslighting workers, ignoring Deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing Ontarians, and damaging collective bargaining. CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn, NDP Shadow Minister of the MCCSS Lisa Gretzky, General Support Services counsellor Marriott Otchere, and Deaf entrepreneur and CHS client Andrea Zackary will be presenting. SPEAKERS: Fred Hahn, President, CUPE Ontario Lisa Gretzky, NDP Shadow Minister MCCSS Marriott Ochere, CUPE 2073 member Andrea Zackary, CHS client Where: Queen's Park Media Studio When: May 26, 12:15 p.m. od/COPE491 View source version on Contacts Jesse Mintz, CUPE Communications Representative416-704-9642 | jmintz@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CBC
30-01-2025
- Business
- CBC
Ontario election 2025: Who's running where in southwestern Ontario
As Ontarians prepare to head to the polls on Feb. 27, political parties are racing to confirm their candidates for the upcoming election. CBC Windsor will help you stay informed by keeping on top of each local riding, its candidates, and what they are up to. The Progressive Conservatives have come into the election with a full slate of candidates ready to go and a call for voters to give them a new and enlarged mandate to steer the province through the uncertainty and potential economic devastation brought by U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs. In the Windsor-Essex area, that means they'll be targeting the riding of Windsor West, currently held by NDP MPP Lisa Gretzky, the lone non-PC MPP in the region. But the opposition parties have accused Ford of using the tariff issue to distract from his record on health care, education, long-term care and housing, issues where they say he's failing Ontarians. And critics have said Ford is wasting nearly $200 million on an election that could have gone toward social programs. The NDP, Liberals and Greens all have yet to confirm a full slate of candidates in southwestern Ontario. Here's a full list of who's running so far. This list will be updated as candidates announce. Windsor West This riding — home to the University of Windsor, the Ambassador Bridge the soon-to-be-open Gordie Howe bridge — has been represented by the NDP's Lisa Gretzky since 2014. But the PCs have indicated they would like to win it away from her and sweep the region. They have nominated Tony Francis to go after the seat. The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Windsor West. Lisa Gretzky - NDP (incumbent) Tony Francis - Progressive Conservative Joshua Griffin - New Blue Party Windsor-Tecumseh The Feb. 27 election will mark a rematch between incumbent PC candidate Andrew Dowie, a former Tecumseh town councillor who won the seat in 2022, and the NDP's Gemma Grey-Hall, who placed a distant second in that race. So far, they are the only two confirmed candidates in the riding. Andrew Dowie - Progressive Conservative (incumbent) Gemma Grey-Hall - NDP Essex Former Amherstburg deputy mayor Anthony Leardi won this riding for the PCs in 2022 after NDP MPP Taras Natyshak announced he would not seek re-election. This time around, Rachael Mills will try to win it back for the NDP. The Liberals have yet to confirm a candidate in the riding, which consists of LaSalle, Lakeshore, Kingsville, Amherstburg and Essex. The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Essex. Anthony Leardi - Progressive Conservative (incumbent) Rachael Mills - NDP Kevin Linfield - None of the Above Direct Democratic Party Chatham-Kent-Leamington Leamington includes Chatham-Kent, Leamington, Lakeshore and the Township of Pelee. Trevor Jones won this riding for the PCs in 2022 after previously serving as a Leamington town councillor. So far, he is the only major party candidate to be confirmed in the riding for the Feb. 27 election. Trevor Jones - Progressive Conservative (incumbent) Sarnia-Lambton Sarnia-Lambton, which includes Sarnia, Petrolia, Point Edward, Plympton-Wyoming, Enniskillen, St. Clair and Oil Springs, has been held by the PC's Bob Bailey since 2007. Bob Bailey - Progressive Conservative (incumbent) Keith Benn - New Blue Party Lambton-Kent-Middlesex PC candidate Steve Pinsonneault has represented this large, rural riding for less than a year after winning it in a May 2024 by-election following the resignation of former Tory cabinet minister Monte McNaughton. He will face off against Liberal Cathy Burghardt-Jesson, who placed a distant second in the previous race. The following candidates have so far announced they will run in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex Steve Pinsonneault - Progressive Conservative (incumbent) Cathy Burghardt-Jesson - Liberal Dean Eve - None of the Above Democratic Party
