Separatist Northern Ontario Party is officially registered

[Tyrianth]

A separatist political party in the north is coming back to life with a new name and a new leader.

It's called the Northern Ontario Party, and its goal is to separate the north of the province from bigger cities down south like Toronto.

Its predecessor, the Northern Ontario Heritage Party, was formed in 1977 by Ed Diebel of North Bay. In its history, the party has never managed to secure any seats in the provincial legislature.

Earlier this year, Trevor Holliday created an online petition calling for a separated province.

After the petition attracted more than 4,300 supporters, he decided to go a step further and registered the Northern Ontario Party with Elections Ontario on July 28.

"Northern Ontario needs attention equally as southern Ontario for different aspects, different means. Why is it that we're not being heard?" he said.

northern ontario
The Nothern Ontario Party has officially registered as a provincial party with Elections Ontario. (Trevor Holliday)

"Toronto gets [more] transit. Yes, they have dense populations in certain areas, but transportation is more needed in the north for people who travel for health care. And, the health care isn't even local."

Holliday said his current goal is to have candidates elected in all 11 ridings in the north in the next provincial election.

Some of his party's platform includes having governance for northern Ontario, reducing the cost of living, improved transportation and restructuring government organizations to eliminate waste and repetitive spending.

'Steep hill to climb' for Northern Ontario party

Timmins - James Bay MPP Gilles Bisson says he understands the anger and frustration northerners have with the current provincial government.

However, he thinks it will be difficult for the Northern Ontario Party to get support. He also believes that Ontario should remain as one province.

"Running campaigns across northern Ontario, you've got to be pretty organized and you have to have the means to do that," he said.

"It's hard enough now within the structure that we have to have northern Ontario heard."

David Tabachnick, a political science professor at Nipissing University, echoed Bisson's statements.

"Their profile will be smaller in the province as a whole. So, the very same reason northern Ontario may not get the attention it deserves will also apply to the Northern Ontario Party," he said.

"There's a steep hill to climb for the Northern Ontario Party. Even getting nominees or candidates to run in these 11 ridings will be a challenge."

'Northern Ontarians want real people in office'

Holliday understands that it will take longer to achieve separation.

But he's confident that his party will win seats in the next provincial election.

"I'm confident about it. I believe that we have a really good chance," he said.

"Northern Ontarians want real people in office."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbur...arty-1.3708208

Apparantly Northern Ontario is tired of paying for infrastructure in Toronto... even though Toronto pays out $24 billion more in taxes then they receive in provincial funding. How does this 15 year old plan to have Northern Ontario fund itself if it becomes it's own province if they can't even do it with the rest of the province supporting them?

Next provincial elections should be fun.

[Independent voter]

I would poo poo this but with Britain leaving the EU and Scotland possibly leaving Britain who the hell knows?

[Belize]

Just like the separatists in the Parti Quebecois, they ain't going nowhere.

[dd614]

Ontario, Canada has the highest non-sovereign debt in the world at ~300 billion dollars.

http://www.debtclock.ca/provincial-d...ntario-s-debt/

I can't blame them for wanting to separate. Toronto keeps voting in progressive governments that blow up the debt and give nothing to the rest of the province. Basically the province is fucked and on borrowed time. Good luck to them. Nobody should have to pay for the mistakes of deranged big-city liberals who can't balance a budget.

[Tyrianth]

I would poo poo this but with Britain leaving the EU and Scotland possibly leaving Britain who the hell knows?

At least the EU exit people weren't being lead by someone who doesn't even look like in highschool yet lol

[dd614]

Just like the separatists in the Parti Quebecois, they ain't going nowhere.

They almost separated at one point.

[Tyrianth]

Ontario, Canada has the highest non-sovereign debt in the world at ~300 billion dollars.

http://www.debtclock.ca/provincial-d...ntario-s-debt/

I can't blame them for wanting to separate. Toronto keeps voting in progressive governments that blow up the debt and give nothing to the rest of the province. Basically the province is fucked and on borrowed time. Good luck to them. Nobody should have to pay for the mistakes of deranged big-city liberals who can't balance a budget.

Except Toronto pays more in taxes than they consume. Northern Ontario is the largest consumer of Ontario tax dollars. If they separate they will become the poorest province, poorer than PEI, a province barely bigger than a city.

[Zarc]

Just like the separatists in the Parti Quebecois, they ain't going nowhere.

I would poo poo this but with Britain leaving the EU and Scotland possibly leaving Britain who the hell knows?

This is nothing like those examples though. This is a party that seeks to separate Northern Ontario from Ontario to become a province of its own right within Canada. They are not about leaving Canada, like Parti Quebecois or like Brexit leaving the EU. It is kind of like Scotland wanting to separate from the UK to be a member state of its own right within the EU, though soon it won't be as the UK will have exited the EU.

Personally I don't see much wrong with that. I could for example see it making sense to split Upstate New York from New York State, Northern and Southern Florida from each other, splitting up Texas as is their constitutional right, and California as well. It's about how to best structure ourselves administratively, not about separation with borders and economies separating.

[Tyrianth]

This is nothing like those examples though. This is a party that seeks to separate Northern Ontario from Ontario to become a province of its own right within Canada. They are not about leaving Canada, like Parti Quebecois or like Brexit leaving the EU. It is kind of like Scotland wanting to separate from the UK to be a member state of its own right within the EU, though soon it won't be as the UK will have exited the EU.

Personally I don't see much wrong with that. I could for example see it making sense to split Upstate New York from New York State, Northern and Southern Florida from each other, splitting up Texas as is their constitutional right, and California as well. It's about how to best structure ourselves administratively, not about separation with borders and economies separating.

The other provinces in Canada would have a issue with NO becoming it's own province. As I said above it would become the poorest province in Canada, and the other provinces would be forced to subsidize it through equalization payments. Right now, NO is the sole responsibility of the Ontario government and does not receive external funding.

[Tyrianth]

When it takes this form, as opposed to the purely partisan form like the proposed state of Jefferson, I usually assume the demand for separation is more about trying to get attention and action from the government than a legitimate desire to separate. I mean, some people probably really want to, but that would be silly, just like the UP cries about being attached to the rest of Michigan. You've got virtually nothing but summer tourism and are like 60% federal land, ya dinguses.

True, but I don't know what they're trying to bring attention to when they're already the biggest drain of Ontario tax dollars.

I just finid it hilrious that an offical political party is being lead by this kid:

[Eliandal]

Just....no! As a northerner, I see nothing but trouble with this! We don't have the tax base, because we don't have the population base. Although we're rich in minerals- that's it. Not one person I know supports this - and never has (this has actually been ongoing for decades - Just up to this point no one has taken the time to actually create a party)

Unfortunately, they may get seats in the next election (if they can attract semi decent candidates) however they have no support in any of the cities up here (Sudbury, Sault, Timmins and Thunder Bay- which is about 90% of the population of Northern Ontario) meaning it's a no go (thankfully!)

[Tyrianth]

Just....no! As a northerner, I see nothing but trouble with this! We don't have the tax base, because we don't have the population base. Although we're rich in minerals- that's it. Not one person I know supports this - and never has (this has actually been ongoing for decades - Just up to this point no one has taken the time to actually create a party)

Unfortunately, they may get seats in the next election (if they can attract semi decent candidates) however they have no support in any of the cities up here (Sudbury, Sault, Timmins and Thunder Bay- which is about 90% of the population of Northern Ontario) meaning it's a no go (thankfully!)

A seperate NO would have an economy relying solely on mining, I think cities like Sudbury know full well what a mining economy will eventually result in.

[blackblade]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbur...arty-1.3708208

Apparantly Northern Ontario is tired of paying for infrastructure in Toronto... even though Toronto pays out $24 billion more in taxes then they receive in provincial funding. How does this 15 year old plan to have Northern Ontario fund itself if it becomes it's own province if they can't even do it with the rest of the province supporting them?

Next provincial elections should be fun.

Anybody in Canada can create a party. It's a modest fee and that's it.

[Zarc]

The other provinces in Canada would have a issue with NO becoming it's own province. As I said above it would become the poorest province in Canada, and the other provinces would be forced to subsidize it through equalization payments. Right now, NO is the sole responsibility of the Ontario government and does not receive external funding.

Well I am not very informed about the specific case of Northern Ontario, from what I understand it would become a very small state in terms of population so for that reason I would say it doesn't make much sense. I am just saying that this idea of having an open mind about administrative divisions is nothing that I see anything from with, not stating an opinion on the specific case of Northern Ontarian province-hood. But the other examples I mentioned, like Upstate New York, Northern Florida, splitting Texas and California, all states with very large populations, those discussions certainly are warranted.

[Eliandal]

A seperate NO would have an economy relying solely on mining, I think cities like Sudbury know full well what a mining economy will eventually result in.

This is very true, and while we're incredibly rich in resources, much of it is not easily accessible (Ring of Fire anyone) Quite frankly, this would have stood more of a chance to happen in the late 60's /early 70's - when the mining segment was quite significant. Even IF the ring of fire does finally get developed - we'll never be like that again (which honestly, is a good thing)