The President of the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce believes recent provincial funding the city got was an election ploy. Peter Chirico was referring to $1.8 million the city received under the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. Chirico says there’s only one way the Liberals can convince him the money isn’t their attempt to get votes. He says that’s to write the cheque on an ongoing basis. Chirico says it’s suspicious that the Liberals got rid of the partnership funding and suddenly bring it back just before an election.