Northern Ontario could see candidates from a new political party run in the 2018 election. The Northern Ontario Party is a hybrid of the Northern Ontario Heritage Party from the 1970s which pushed for separation. NOP president Trevor Holliday says the goal of running candidates in all the northern ridings next election is to send a message to Queen’s Park.
By winning a few seats, Holliday says the new Premier will have to ask the NOP won’t the north wants and he adds he’d like to see an NOP MPP named as the northern development and mines minister. Holliday also says a major issue is developing a manufacturing policy, something only the NOP has. Holliday wants to raise the issue of separation at some point because the north doesn’t get a fair shake, but for now it’s on the backburner.