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Rural communities feel neglected by Tory budget

(CNW) Prime Minister Harper's new budget of tax cuts reveals how poorly this government is responding to the challenges facing families in small rural, remote and northern communities, says Carol Gott, co-manager of Rural Voices.

(CNW) Prime Minister Harper's new budget of tax cuts reveals how poorly this government is responding to the challenges facing families in small rural, remote and northern communities, says Carol Gott, co-manager of Rural Voices.

Rural Voices is a virtual support network which provides a rural conscience for other organizations and governments.
    
"Rural communities need infrastructure funding well beyond the promise of more highways, more bridges and more public transit," said Gott.
    
"We need recreation facilities, buildings and resources to support quality child care choices and innovative transportation supports to assist in the challenge of geographic isolation of many communities."
    
According to Rural Voices, the budget provides public transit tax credits when remote, rural and Northern communities have no public transit. The budget also provides family fitness credits that will mean little in communities with limited access to recreation facilities.

Many families will receive $100 a month to purchase "choice" in child care in centres that do not exist, while many communities will not be able to support building new child care spaces only through tax credits.
    
This government has taken a fragmented, "give everyone something approach" in this budget - but is this really short-term thinking, Gott said.


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