'Northerners are just as important as southerners'

Northerners will continue to harass Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci "until he comes to reason and realizes that we have got to come up with a different solution than just the sale of Ontario Northland," said a representatives from the General Chairperson's Association (GCA).

Unionized employees of Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) rallied outside Bartolucci's office Oct. 5, demanding a new deal for Ontario Northland and that passenger rail services be restored.

"Northerners are just as important as southerners," said GCA spokesperson Brian Kelly.

Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas said the privatization of public transit in the North simply won't work.

"We don't have the density of the people," she said.

Most communities she serves in the Nickel Belt are too small and "would never be viable" if public transit is privatized.

"We're not asking for a go-train, we're not asking for a subway, we're asking for equitable access. And equity for us includes Ontario Northland."