New status as an independent MPP presents plenty of challenges
ALGOMA-MANITOULIN—While Michael Mantha will now sit as an independent Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Algoma-Manitoulin, having been removed from NDP caucus due to an investigation into alleged workplace misconduct, it will not change his efforts in working for his constituents in this riding.
“For the people of Algoma-Manitoulin it will not affect me in my role as an MPP,” MPP Mantha told The Expositor last Friday. “I will continue to sit in the legislature and hold the government to account and continue to walk across the floor and work with various ministers toward the goals and interested of the people I represent in Algoma-Manitoulin.”
“It does not change my role as an MPP. I’ve always participated in non-partisan politics and have talked to all ministers and bureaucrats on numerous issues over the years. This will not change,” said MPP Mantha. “I am picking up where I left off and what I have been doing the past 13 years.
“I have been doing this for 13 years and I’m proud of my record and what I have done in the legislature and look forward to continuing,” Mr. Mantha continued. “I started back on my regular duties last week and have been returning calls and messages.”
“It has been a challenge,” acknowledged MPP Mantha. “My offices, computers and phones are covered by a contact ID with the NDP caucus and need to be changed by the Ontario Legislative Assembly as an independent MPP. All the information is on a NDP data program, so I have been denied access. The legislature is contacting the caucus to transfer all this information to me. This is all my office information and contacts and includes stuff we have been working on for 10 years or more. The data is currently stored, and we need to make sure the data is accessible.”
MPP Mantha said while his constituency office numbers have not changed, his office email addresses have. “My new email address is mmantha-co@ola.org and my constituency office number is 1-800-831-1899. The email for my office at Queen’s Park mmantha/qp@ola.org and the phone number is 416-325-1938.
“My webpage has to be rebuilt and once it is done I will be releasing it to the public,” said MPP Mantha.
“The other challenge we are facing is that my employees were all covered by the unionized collective agreement under the NDP caucus. Human resources and the union have indicated they should not report or sign union contracts until their entitlement to the collective agreement has been signed,” explained MPP Mantha. “So, I’m spending the day preparing new contracts for the employees. They are loyal and I can tell you they miss the constituents and dealing with issues that come up. I hope the union and caucus can resolve their issues and the employees can start to do regular work at our offices very quickly.”
As for details as to why he was removed from caucus, MPP Mantha said, “I issued a statement last Monday (April 3) that for the duration I will not be commenting further on this matter.”
In his statement MPP Mantha, who has served as an NDP MPP since first being elected in 2011 to represent the riding of Algoma-Manitoulin said, “as a lifelong believer in safe workplaces, I have been and remain fully committed to participating in the independent process now underway. I will continue to serve the people of Algoma-Manitoulin. I will not be commenting further on this matter.”
