Rota Reacts To Budget Cuts

Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota calls Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to make cuts to FedNor a tremendous blow to Northern Ontario.

Rota made the comments today in response to Monday’s announcement that the Conservative government would be cutting funding to regional development programs including FedNor by over $39 million.

Full details contained in the news release below.

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Nipissing-Timiskaming MP Anthony Rota lashed out at Stephen Harper today, calling the Prime Minister’s decision to cut regional development programs such as FedNor “a tremendous blow to communities and organizations throughout Northern Ontario.”

Yesterday the Conservative Government announced that they would be cutting funding to regional development programs including FedNor by over $39 million, as part of a $1 billion cut in federal spending.

“During the last election campaign, and again more recently, the Prime Minister repeatedly promised that he would not make cuts to FedNor,” says Mr. Rota. “In fact, when the Liberals predicted that regional development programs would be in serious jeopardy under the Conservatives, Stephen Harper dismissed these comments as nothing more than fear-mongering. Well, now we see that Northern Ontarians had good reason to be concerned.”

“Stephen Harper and his Conservative Government made cuts to programs they felt were not of value to Canadians; As the Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming, and a resident of Northern Ontario, I can tell you that FedNor is of tremendous value to the people of this area,” says Mr. Rota. “This funding is essential in creating jobs and strengthening our regional economy.”

“Make no mistake, the cuts the Conservatives have made are by choice and certainly not by necessity. The government announced $1 billion in spending cuts on the very same day that they announced a $13.2 billion surplus for 2005-2006.”

According to Mr. Rota, the cuts that were announced yesterday speak volumes to the priorities of the Conservative government and their vision for the future of Canada. “These funding cuts directly target women, aboriginals, those in need of affordable housing and other groups for which the Conservatives have traditionally shown little concern, including the people of Nipissing-Timiskaming.”

“Once again, the only minority group that Stephen Harper is interested in supporting is the minority of Canadians who supported him in the last election.”

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