Tony gets an earful. Kinda likes it

There's at least one common theme underlying most of the ideas that Sault MP Tony Martin has been hearing about kick-start the economy.

"A lot of people said we need focused and very prescriptive solutions and sooner rather than later," said Martin after a community consultations yesterday. "Everybody we heard from supported coalition proposals in one form or another."

Martin said he was pleased with the turnout at yesterday's open roundtable discussion in the Gallery at Sault College.

Fifteen presenters were given time to outline their ideas and suggestions and then Martin took time for questions.

"I'm very pleased with the number of people who took advantage of the opportunity to have their say," Martin said. "I think they also felt good to have the opportunity to hear what members of the public had to say about their ideas."

As reported earlier by SooToday.com, Martin is concerned that that the federal finance minister's mini-tour is hearing only from government-invited groups and appears to him to be more of a public relations campaign to show action where none exists.

What the Sault MP heard yesterday confirmed that his constituents are looking for fast and real solutions, particularly where employment insurance is concerned.

Representatives of local labour came forward with a suggestion that companies be offered stimulus packages that are tied to a commitment to train or retrain workers rather than lay them off.

The labour representatives suggested workers could have a portion of their wages paid by employment insurance benefits, similar to what would happen in a job-sharing situation, while they train for better jobs, instead of sitting at home and collecting benefits.

Martin said he liked this idea very much and thought it showed the same prescriptive focus that others were calling for.

"People want to see our manufacturing, forestry and mining industries protected both today and into the future," he said. "They want to see long-lasting solutions that will stimulate the economy."

They just don't want to see money thrown around without assurances that it will do what it's supposed to do.

Martin and his team are now working on a report that summarizes and explains the presentations made yesterday.

He says this report will go to the coalition finance critics, who will bring it to Canada's finance minister in the next few weeks.

A stimulus package will be announced on January 27 and Martin hopes to see some of the ideas from Saultites in that package.

In the meantime, Martin offered some advice of his own:

"All of us need to keep our heads and be rational," he said. "We need to be thoughtful about our responses to the economy."

Martin said we have good people in the Sault and an attractive economy that's still worthwhile and will come through in the end.