Tony's stand-alone FedNor bill survives Tory opposition

NEWS RELEASE

TONY MARTIN, MP

************************* Conservatives fail to stand up for Northern Ontario

Martin's original FedNor bill passes second reading

OTTAWA - Seven Northern Ontario New Democrat MPs say that the Conservatives have shown their true colours by voting in the House of Commons Wednesday against a private member’s bill that will turn FedNor into a stand-alone agency like Canada's other three regional development agencies.

The MPs heaped scorn on the Conservatives for maintaining the second-tier status for FedNor, singling out Kenora MP, Greg Rickford and Industry Minister Tony Clement for refusing to stand up for Northern Ontario.

“First, Mr. Rickford helped announce a forestry package that does nothing to help mill workers or their families get through the crisis, then he goes into the House and votes to stop the creation of a new Northern development agency,” stated Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty. “The people of Kenora were effectively sabotaged by their MP today.”

The bill, which was originally drafted by Sault Ste. Marie MP Tony Martin in the previous 39th Parliament, was reintroduced by both Martin and Liberal MP Anthony Rota in this parliament.

By a lottery draw for private members' business, Rota got to introduce his bill first.

New Democrats campaigned in 2008 to establish and increase funding for a stronger, community-driven FedNor to ensure economic development funds stay in the North to create jobs for Northern workers.

“Other regions in Canada have their own, arms-length, independent agency with full accountability that serves local communities,“ said Martin. “Why not Northern Ontario?”

Current New Democrat Fednor critic Claude Gravelle (Nickel Belt) said FedNor must be able to adapt to the changing economy and ensure the economic prosperity of the workers of northern Ontario and their families.

"Its mandate must be drawn up at the local level by the people who live in the region, not by some faceless bureaucrat in the Ottawa offices of Industry Canada," Gravelle said. "It is time they stopped treating the people of Northern Ontario like second-class citizens.”

Under both Liberal and Conservative governments, despite good staff working within its existing mandate, FedNor has dissolved into what New Democrats are calling "FedOntario" where one-third of the budget now flows to eastern and southern Ontario.

Despite the Conservatives, the bill passed second reading by a vote of 144 for and 142 against and will now move to committee.

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