'Northern Ontario missing from budget' - Angus

Timmins – James Bay MP Charlie Angus says that the 2016 federal budget missed the mark for Northern Ontario.

The NDPer says the new Liberal government need to be given a map of Northern Ontario because it is missing from their budget.

“The Liberals squeezed Canadians to provide a tax cut that largely benefits the top ten percent and then they couldn’t find funding specific for FedNor, Ring of Fire, or their promises on health care,” said Angus.

“Its amazing they can spend this much money while still breaking some of their promises and failing to deliver on key items for the North.”

Angus' release says that despite 30 billion dollars of promises, the government failed to move on FedNor, did not mention the Ring of Fire, and did not specify criteria for infrastructure spending for small or rural regions.

He says the budget did deliver on rural broadband, renewal of the mineral exploration tax credit, and the reversal on the cut to Old Age Security.

However, there was nothing concrete about following through on the promise to enhance CPP and GIS. Angus says he is also concerned about the lack of spending on health care priorities like homecare and palliative care.

“Every budget is about choices. And Liberals have chosen tax breaks to CEOs and profitable corporations over reinvesting in health care and fully delivering on the key priorities for the North.”