MPP Sol Mamakwa teaches colleague Mike Mantha how to clean a goose

Mike Mantha, NDP MPP for Algoma-Manitoulin, has a yearly fundraiser in Toronto where he provides wild game meats for "A Taste of the North." 

Each year, he brings different meats that are harvested across northern Ontario, such as moose, elk, partridge and a variety of fish. The event raises money for his next election campaign.

This year, his colleague, Sol Makamkwa, supplied a couple of geese. Mamakwa is the NDP MPP for Kiiwetinoong in northwestern Ontario. 

"So we cleaned them on the front lawn of Queen's Park," said Mantha. "And it was quite an honour."

Mantha says it was his first time cleaning a goose but it was Mamakwa's way of sharing his traditional ways.

"It took me two hours to clean two geese and he shared with me that the elders who are experienced in this . . . it takes them about 20 minutes to clean a goose," said Mantha.

The geese were from the far north and part of the traditional harvest.

The goose plucking was moved from the front lawn to Mantha's office. 

"It's never what I thought I'd be doing in my Queen's Park office," said Mantha, adding that he did warn the housecleaning crew that there would be a little bit of a mess in his office.

"It was an interesting conversation with Sol about all the traditional ways that he has and he's definitely brought a new light to our caucus and he's enriched us with his experiences," said Mantha.

Sol Mamakwa was elected in the June 2018 election.