Sol Mamakwa re-elected Kiiwetinoong MPP 

Tim Brody - Editor

Sol Mamakwa is heading back to Queen’s Park.
The Ontario NDP MPP elect for the Kiiwetinoong riding was re-elected in the Feb. 27 provincial election with 3124 votes. 
Unofficial election results released by Elections Ontario show that Mamakwa earned 60.97% of the votes for the riding with 45 of 51 polls reporting.
Waylon Scott of the PC Party of Ontario received 1362 votes. 
Manuela Michelizzi of the Ontario Liberal Party received 378 votes.
Carolyn Spicer of the Green Party of Ontario received 134 votes.
Theresa Leppich of the Northern Ontario Party received 126 votes.
Elections Ontario’s unofficial results showed that of the riding’s 20,746 registered electors, voter turnout was 24.70%.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to be able to serve the people of Kiiwetinoong. To have that confidence in me to speak on the issues that need to be spoken about,” Mamakwa said.
Heading back to the Ontario Legislature for a third term, Mamakwa said, “We have some unfinished business, the long-term care facility (in Sioux Lookout). We have to make sure that process is taken, that it’s built. Another example could be having September 30 as a day of reflection for Indian Residential Schools and to have it as a statutory holiday within Ontario.”
“Obviously there’s some pressing issues within the riding,” he said. “We talk about housing shortages and homelessness and cost of living and other things that come along with it, mental health, healthcare - having services closer to home in healthcare is very important.”
Mamakwa visited 20 communities in the riding during the provincial election campaign, four municipalities and 16 First Nation communities, 13 of which are remote, fly-in communities for which he chartered a plane with skis to visit.
“When it’s 8, 9 in the morning and it’s minus 35, 39 or whatever and you hop in the plane, it’s a very unique experience,” he said.
He shared, “I went to Sachigo Lake on a fishing derby day and I just walked around and talked to people and when you talk to 200 to 300 people within a couple hours and then you’re getting cold, but you hear them talk about the issues and they really appreciate me visiting the community.”
Mamakwa recalled another campaign moment, “A unique thing as well is, I think North Spirit, I landed there and the chief picked me up and took me to school, we grabbed some Grade 7 and 8 kids and we went on the winter road and set up some marten traps.”
“I think at the end of the day we are strong people. We have a big mass of land that we represent. We might be small in numbers, but I think we are strong once we stand together,” Mamakwa concluded.