October 20th, 2017
Northern Ontario: Local MP Jamie Schmale, as Deputy Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Shadow Minister for FEDNOR, launched a three-day tour in Northern Ontario to meet with small business owners, Chambers of Commerce, and stakeholders from the natural resource sectors. Schmale’s meetings focused on ways to strengthen the natural resource sector, address concerns regarding the Liberal government’s initiatives to harm small business growth and explore ways to make FEDNOR more transparent and relevant for Northern Ontario.
In Timmins MP Schmale met with mining companies to discuss the sector in Canada, improvements to the Duty to Consult, streamlining the permitting process through eliminating duplication and reducing unnecessary red tape. MP Schmale also had the opportunity to see Hollinger Mine and experience firsthand the remediation and mine closure plans for the area.
“The impact of the mining sector on the economic well-being and community development of Northern Ontario is largely unknown outside the communities that rely on these highly skilled and well-paid careers,” said Schmale. “Our mining sector takes its environmental and social responsibility as well as its duty to consult with Indigenous peoples very seriously. Canadians need to hear this message,” added Schmale.
MP Schmale engaged the small business community and Chambers in the three Northern communities of Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. Small businesses in all three communities echoed similar concerns regarding the Liberal government’s recent attempts to increase taxes. This would have had a crippling effect on business development and entrepreneurial spirit.
On FEDNOR, the Chambers all called for a more streamlined process to access funding, predictability, transparency and more input on deciding priorities for their respective regions.
In celebration of Small Business Week, MP Schmale attended the Bridges to Better Business Networking event in Sault Ste. Marie where he heard from entrepreneurs the challenges they face in expanding their businesses in Northern Ontario and the appreciation for the Conservative Party in holding the government to account on policies affecting small business in Canada.
“Northern Ontario has a great story to tell. There are good paying careers here, there are opportunities for small business, they love the environment and understand responsible resource development. Indigenous communities are partners not adversaries. They just need government to listen to them and support locally developed common sense initiatives,” said Schmale.
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For more information contact:
Jamie Schmale, MP
(705) 324-2400 or (866) 688-9881
