Northern MPs calling for complete overhaul of FedNor

NORTH BAY – While Liberal MP Anthony Rota and NDP MP Charlie Angus don’t always see eye-to-eye on the issues facing Northern Ontario, they both agree on one thing – FedNor needs change.

Rota, the Nipissing-Timiskaming representative, and Angus, who serves the residents of Timmins, both believe the region’s largest economic development organization needs to be modified.

“There is definitely some rejigging that needs to happen with FedNor,” said Rota in an interview with the News earlier this month.

Over the past few months Rota and Angus have been meeting with their five fellow Northern Ontario MP’s and FedNor has been at the front of discussion topics.

“We have been working with the Minister (Navdeep Bains). We see it coming together and are looking for some (funding) increases and a few other changes,” said Rota.

Talks have picking up since late November when Angus, the NDP FedNor Critic, introduced a bill into the House of Commons aimed at strengthening FedNor by making it a standalone agency. Angus is calling for a complete overhaul of the organization, which is key to economic development in the north.

“I first decided to run for office because I was tired of watching Ottawa ignore the needs and voices of people, especially in our region of Northern Ontario,” said Angus, who believes making FedNor a standalone agency would put the region on equal footing with every other part of the country.

“Protecting regional voices and strengthening targeted investments that focus on small and medium sized businesses is our vision of economic development for Northern Ontario and FedNor plays a crucial role investing in our economy. It’s quite simple, growing our economy is a win not only for Northern Ontario, but, the entire country,” said Angus.

Angus’ bill comes just a short time after the Liberals introduced legislation and eliminated the formal FedNor Minister position. Navdeep Bains, the minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, currently looks after FedNor.

“We are tired of being the poor cousin to the country as the only region without an independent standalone agency,” said Angus.

Along with overhauling the operational aspects of FedNor, area MP’s are also seeking a funding boost for FedNor in hopes of bringing it back up to a level where it was a near decade ago. Funding and staffing cuts have decimated the organization and resulted in the annual budget dropping from a high of $76 million in 2006 to a mere $31 million in 2016.

“We have been lobbying for more money for FedNor,” said Rota. ““Over the last year we used FedNor but we also used infrastructure money as one of the big drivers for the economy. It was about getting the money out. Over the next year I would like to see FedNor take over its traditional role where is it coming back into play and helping develop the economy.”

Some of FedNor’s 2016-17 priorities include creating a Northern Ontario Economic Development Strategy, leading federal efforts to support the successful implementation of the Ring of Fire, and continuing to work with and support community and business development across the region.