http://www.chroniclejournal.com/news/local/northern-caucus-meets/article_0cf33528-98a5-11e5-a261-c70ae16c3c23.html

Posted: Wednesday, December 2, 2015 6:00 am | Updated: 6:02 am, Wed Dec 2, 2015.

Carl Clutchey, CJ Staff | 0 comments

The newly formed federal Northern Ontario caucus is vowing to promote the region’s key issues.

The caucus made up of seven Northern Liberal MPs met for the first time on Tuesday. The caucus plans to promote key Northern issues in Ottawa including the Ring of Fire, municipal infrastructure and housing.

Status of Women Minister Patty Hajdu said the group will aim to ensure priorities are set in Northern Ontario and made known to Ottawa, not the other way around.

“We want to make sure (federal departments) like infrastructure have a good understanding of the North,” Hajdu said after the group’s first 90-minute meeting.

Sudbury-area MP Marc Serre was acclaimed as caucus chairman and includes MPs Bob Nault (Kenora) and Don Rusnak (Thunder Bay-Rainy River).

Hajdu said the caucus plans to meet once a week when Parliament is in session.

There was no specific discussion about Thunder Bay’s proposed event centre, Hajdu said. That project, which includes a new hockey rink, was turned down by the previous Conservative government.

Hajdu urged Northern municipalities to prioritize key projects and make sure they are known to their respective MPs.

Hajdu said in her ministerial role, she has been involved in discussions about the upcoming inquiry into missing or murdered aboriginal women, but a timetable has yet to be set.

Meanwhile, the government has yet to announce who will be the parliamentary secretary in charge of FedNor, a main federal funder of Northern Ontario infrastructure projects.

Under the former Tory government that post was held by former Kenora MP Greg Rickford.