Politics is about working with everyone to make sure Ottawa works for you. It's about helping people, making life affordable, and growing our communities.

While some engage in 'us and them backroom politics, I have always dedicated myself to being a champion for northerners during my 20 years of serving you in Sault Ste. Marie Algoma.

I have worked alongside a diverse cross section from our riding - protecting Matthews Memorial Hospital, fighting for funding in key projects, air quality, preserving the Lake Superior watershed, saving the railway, bringing rural broadband, helping the steel industry and assisting area farmers. My politics is about listening to people and working with them. The only way to build healthy, productive communities is to make sure Ottawa is working for you.

Politics is also about giving people a helping hand when times are bad. Whether people need assistance to break through the maze of government to access their pensions, disability benefits, passports, or help with the bills, I have always been there to make Ottawa work for you.

I know that government is at its best when it listens to people and gives them the opportunities and supports they need.

Government is at its best when it comes to the table and works together with businesses and labour, individual residents and groups, and works with them on the projects that will make our communities better places to live and raise families.

The worst type of government is the one that ignores the public and only speaks to their privileged friends, that refuses to answer questions or be accountable, that ignores the rules that everyone follows. Unfortunately, this is the way the Harper Conservatives operate. Ottawa is broken, but it can be fixed.

We need to break this cycle of Liberal scandals being replaced by Conservative scandals, of Liberal arrogance replaced by Conservative arrogance.

This election is about who you can trust to fix Ottawa and make sure it is working for everyone. The mood to fix this system is growing across the country and in growing numbers, people are turning to the NDP as the only party who can bring about change.

The Liberals and Conservatives deliver only negative attacks without offering their own vision for the country. We don't really know where either of those parties stand on the issues that matter to working families.

The NDP platform is about making our federal government a true partner with individuals and communities to get things done for everyday people, giving families a break, fighting for jobs and pensions and helping small businesses.

The NDP will defend key strategic industries, commit to improving frontline health care services, finding clean energy solutions, and building a new relationship with our First Nations.

We commit to hiring 1,200 doctors and 6,000 nurses, launch a Quality Home Care Plan and Long-Term Care Initiative, to make sure seniors can stay in their homes longer and have spaces in long term care when they need it.

We will strengthen the CPP and increase the Guaranteed Income Supplement, to make sure that people aren't struggling to get by after a lifetime of contributing to our country.

Small businesses are the engine of our local economy, and we will cut their tax from 11% to 9% and give a $4500 credit for each job they create.

We will cap credit card fees, take the HST off home heating and create an ombudsperson to investigate complaints of gouging at the gas pumps, to take the pressure off the household budgets of working families.

The NDP continues to be the major party speaking up and fighting for Northern Ontario. Ours is the party with a platform that specifically addresses the challenges and opportunities in Northern Ontario. I am very proud to be part of this strong and energetic group of northern New Democrats who are getting results.

New Democrats pushed the government to invest in stimulus funding. I have delivered over $250 million for projects in the riding while serving with integrity.

With your continued support, I will be part of a stronger NDP presence in Ottawa. Together, we will fix Ottawa and make sure that it is working for you and your family.