Statement made on 08 October 2009 by Senator Terry Mercer
Hon. Terry M. Mercer:
Honourable senators, I can assure you that my question is of concern to Canadians, particularly, the almost 900 Canadians who live in Canso, Nova Scotia.
Earlier this month, residents of the town of Canso learned about a proposal for the federal fisheries department to close its local fisheries office. That would mean the loss of three jobs for an already economically depressed part of Nova Scotia. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans proposes to move the office to a more central location elsewhere in Guysborough County, which would mean, among other things, lower transportation costs.
However, what of the loss of economic spinoffs for Canso? This small town has suffered more bad news than most other towns in this country. How can the government, which continues to talk about stimulating the economy, justify moving jobs from this small town to another to save money, when it will create a greater need for stimulus than it will solve? If they left the jobs there, the spinoffs would have a major effect in this very small town in Nova Scotia.
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