Michael Mantha

Michael Mantha
Mantha in 2019
Member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament
for Algoma—Manitoulin
In office
October 6, 2011 – January 28, 2025
Preceded byMike Brown
Succeeded byBill Rosenberg
Personal details
Political partyIndependent (2023–present)
Other political
affiliations
New Democratic (2011–2023)
SpousePauline
Children2
Residence(s)Elliot Lake, Ontario
OccupationAdministrative assistant

Michael E. Mantha[1] is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was elected as New Democratic member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario until his removal from the Ontario NDP caucus on March 31, 2023, after which he sat as an independent. He was first elected in 2011. He represented the riding of Algoma—Manitoulin until his defeat in the 2025 Ontario general election.

Background

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Prior to his election, Mantha was a staffer in the riding office of Carol Hughes, the federal Member of Parliament for Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing. He lives in Elliot Lake, Ontario with his wife Pauline and their two sons.[2]

Politics

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Mantha ran in the 2011 provincial election as the New Democratic candidate in the riding of Algoma—Manitoulin. He defeated Liberal incumbent Mike Brown by 4,188 votes.[3][4] He was re-elected in the 2014 provincial election defeating Liberal candidate Craig Hughson by 7,668 votes.[5] Mantha was re-elected in the 2022 Ontario general election.[6]

He served the party's critic for a number of portfolios, including Northern Development and Mines, Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation[7] and Northern Development and Tourism.[8]

Mantha introduced several pieces of legislation, including a motion that was unanimously passed to create a lyme disease strategy in Ontario.[9][10]

On April 1, 2023, Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles removed Mantha from the caucus pending the results of an investigation into alleged misconduct involving a staffer. The decision was made after Stiles received an interim report on the allegations.[11]

On August 15, 2023, Mantha was permanently removed from the NDP caucus after a third-party investigation found that the allegations of workplace misconduct levied against him were substantiated.[12]

He stood for re-election as an independent but was defeated.

Electoral record

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2025 Ontario general election: Algoma—Manitoulin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Bill Rosenberg 11,263 41.33 +5.85
New Democratic David Timeriski 7,409 27.19 -18.74
Liberal Reg Niganobe 3,948 14.49 +5.78
Independent Michael Mantha 3,238 11.88 N/A
New Blue Sheldon Pressey 717 2.63 -2.68
Green Maria Legault 677 2.48 -0.63
Total valid votes/expense limit 27,252 99.08 –0.26
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 253 0.92 +0.26
Turnout 27,505 51.77 +9.30
Eligible voters 53,126
Progressive Conservative gain from New Democratic Swing +12.30
Source: Elections Ontario[13]
2022 Ontario general election: Algoma—Manitoulin
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Michael Mantha 11,252 45.93 −12.63 $56,480
Progressive Conservative Cheryl Fort 8,692 35.48 +11.03 $39,185
Liberal Tim Vine 2,133 8.71 +0.61 $28,774
New Blue Ron Koski 1,302 5.31   $1,144
Green Maria Legault 764 3.12 −0.39 $381
Ontario Party Frederick Weening 356 1.45   $0
Total valid votes/expense limit 24,499 99.34 +0.26 $91,463
Total rejected, unmarked, and declined ballots 164 0.66 -0.26
Turnout 24,663 42.47 -10.61
Eligible voters 57,522
New Democratic hold Swing −11.83
Source(s)
  • "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023.
  • "Statistical Summary by Electoral District" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023.
2018 Ontario general election: Algoma—Manitoulin
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
New Democratic Michael Mantha 17,105 58.56 +5.15 $71,665
Progressive Conservative Jib Turner 7,143 24.45 +7.15 $32,275
Liberal Charles Fox 2,365 8.10 –16.41 $28,755
Northern Ontario Tommy Lee 1,366 4.68 N/A $0
Green Justin Tilson 1,025 3.51 +0.39 $208
Libertarian Kalena Mallon-Ferguson 207 0.71 –0.95 none listed
Total valid votes 29,211 99.08 +0.30
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 270 0.92 –0.30
Turnout 29,481 53.08 +3.70
Eligible voters 55,544
New Democratic hold Swing –1.22
Source: Elections Ontario[14][15][16]
2014 Ontario general election: Algoma—Manitoulin
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Michael Mantha 14,171 53.41 +8.89
Liberal Craig Hughson 6,504 24.51 −3.91
Progressive Conservative Jib Turner 4,589 17.30 −6.30
Green Alexandra Zalucky 828 3.12 +0.49
Libertarian Richard Hadidian 441 1.66
Total valid votes 26,533 100.00 +1.93
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 327 1.22 +0.71
Turnout 26,860 49.38 −0.05
Eligible voters 54,395   +2.75
New Democratic hold Swing +6.40
Source(s)
Elections Ontario. "Official Return from the Records, 002 Algoma-Manitoulin" (PDF). Retrieved March 22, 2015.
2011 Ontario general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
New Democratic Michael Mantha 11,585 44.52 +7.57
Liberal Michael A. Brown 7,397 28.42 −14.14
Progressive Conservative Joe Chapman 6,141 23.60 +9.58
Green Jason Tilson 684 2.63 −2.52
Family Coalition David Hoffman 217 0.83 -0.50
Total valid votes 26,024 100.0
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 134 0.51
Turnout 26,158 49.43
Eligible voters 52,919
New Democratic gain from Liberal Swing +10.86
Source: Elections Ontario[17]

References

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  1. ^ @ONPARLeducation (July 13, 2022). "Within the halls of the Legislature are walls that contain the names of every Member of Provincial Parliament elected to Ontario's Legislature since 1867. The names for the 42nd Parliament were recently added. For the first time a Member's name was inscribed in Oji-Cree syllabics" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Russell, Rosalind (October 4, 2011). "Provincial Election this Thursday - time to vote". Mid-North Monitor.
  3. ^ "Summary of Valid Ballots Cast for Each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. October 6, 2011. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  4. ^ "NDP's Mantha wins Algoma-Manitoulin". Elliot Lake Standard. October 6, 2011.
  5. ^ "General Election by District: Algoma-Manitoulin". Elections Ontario. June 12, 2014. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014.
  6. ^ "NDP Michael Mantha is re-elected in Algoma—Manitoulin". The Toronto Star. June 2, 2022. ISSN 0319-0781. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  7. ^ Reevely, David (June 25, 2014). "Horwath sticks around, names NDP shadow cabinet".
  8. ^ "Michael Mantha". Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  9. ^ "Committee Transcript 2015-Jun-01 | Legislative Assembly of Ontario". www.ola.org. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "Ontario urged to do more to diagnose, treat Lyme disease". CBC. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  11. ^ D'Mello, Colin (April 1, 2023). "Ontario NDP ejects Michael Mantha from caucus over 'misconduct' allegations". Global News. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  12. ^ DeClerq, Katherine (August 15, 2023). "Ontario MPP permanently removed from party after misconduct allegations substantiated". CTV News Toronto. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  13. ^ "VOTE TOTALS FROM OFFICIAL TABULATION" (PDF). Elections Ontario. March 3, 2025. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  14. ^ "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for each Candidate" (PDF). Elections Ontario. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  15. ^ "Political Financing and Party Information". Elections Ontario. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  16. ^ "Data Explorer". Elections Ontario. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  17. ^ Elections Ontario (2011). "Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Algoma—Manitoulin" (PDF). Retrieved June 1, 2014.[permanent dead link]
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