The Liberal MPP who the Progressive Conservatives claim called Northern Ontario a No Man’s Land insists his comments are being misconstrued. In an interview with Moose News, Lou Rinaldi says at the time MPPs were debating Bill 152 which is legislation to create two new ridings for Northern Ontario. Rinaldi claims when Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli spoke about the proposed legislation, he got off topic. Rinaldi says Fedeli was talking about everything under the sun except Bill 152. Rinaldi says that’s what prompted his comment. Rinaldi told Fedeli to get back on track because he was in no man’s land. Rinaldi insists the comment meant to him that Fedeli was not talking about matters being debated. Rinaldi believes the Tories are smearing him to distract from the fact they have few policies and an election is less than a year away. He says with an election approaching, the Tories should be putting forth their policies. Rinaldi adds he doesn’t take lightly the fact that the Tories are trying to make him look bad. As for accepting the Tory invitation to visit the north, Rinaldi says he’s been to Northern Ontario both for business and personal reasons and he’s vacationed in the north with his wife travelling along the Great Lakes. He adds the invitation not visit the north is a cheap political trick and he’s not going to fall for it.
