New Western Ontario

Dear Mr. Premier,
Let me first express my sincere appreciation for the prompt and surprisingly non-formulaic response to my letter. I await Minister Pupatello's reply with great interest.

There is one critical point that I am moved to reiterate here because, as is evidenced from your choice of words, it would appear that a dangerously false and unconstructive perception of our area persists. I am positive that, if asked to reflect, you are very cognizant of the fact that most of Ontario and, indeed, most of Canada is located north the 50th parallel. In light of this national, geographic reality, most other Provinces view that area located between the 49th and 50th parallel as being easily accessible, highly productive and a decidedly southern part of their territory. (Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary and Vancouver are all located in this industrious southern belt. Saskatoon and Edmonton are found even further north.) Unfortunately, most decision-makers in Ontario, apparently including your good self, persist in describing our boundary-hugging location as 'north'. Portraying the busy corridor from Sault Ste Marie to the Manitoba border in a way that connotes remoteness and isolation creates a whole set of negative images, expectations, assumptions and presumed challenges that are not only false, they are detrimental to the prospects of what should be a normally attractive, eminently developable REGION OF SOUTHERN CANADA.

As a politician, you well understand that perception and image are critical to outcome. If this region is perceived to be and is treated as if it is some sort of remote, northern 'hinterland', then our opportunities and our economy will reflect that perception. The reality is that we, -and virtually ALL of the rest of Canada, could only be seen as 'northern' by those who inhabit that phallic bit of Ontario geography that dangles downwards from the rest of the country. While the deep southern and populous parts of Ontario might have much to recommend them, so far as I am aware, the centre of the universe is not located there. Our very normal, very southern Canadian location, then, should not be misrepresented as 'northern' simply because the seat of our government happens to bag into the United States.

The good folks in Attawapiskat, Ontario, although they are some 250 miles south of Fort McMurray, might legitimately claim to be located in the north. However, do you not think it might be more constructive to the economic future of this part of the province, (which, by the way, is closer to a US border crossing than you are at Queen's Park,) if our leaders and decision-makers would begin to recognize and respect us for who we really are: namely southern Canadians living in Western Ontario?

But, you might well ask, if not "Northwestern Ontario", then what? History may be of assistance here. Shortly after our Treaty was signed with the Anishinaabeg Nation of this territory, our region was known as the "New Ontario". It seems to me that this sort of description might more accurately and positively reflect the significant and yet unfulfilled economic promise that this southern corridor region holds for our residents, our province and our nation. It would also better respect the people and the issues that are truly and uniquely in 'northern' Ontario.

In closing, while I appreciate your government's good intentions to address the needs of the 'north', I would ask that you not overlook those of us who inhabit places like Kenora and Thunder Bay. Located as we are in southern and central Canada, we believe we have an important role to play here in New Western Ontario.

Thank you for your patient consideration of this letter.
Freda Peeble,
Kenora, Ontario

P.S. : It might interest you to note that Dr. Rosehart's recent report on the economy of our region contains a very revealing map that clearly shows the considerable network of all-weather roads that exists north of 50 degrees in every Canadian province from Quebec to British Columbia, ...with the sole and striking exception of Ontario.