OTTAWA (Staff) – Liberal MPs representing rural ridings began to get a little respect from their largely urban-based federal government last weekend.
The Liberal rural caucus met for two days in Nova Scotia and as many as eight cabinet ministers were expected to attend.
Trade minister Art Eggleton, western economic development minister Jon Gerrard, junior foreign affairs minister Christine Stewart and agriculture minister Ralph Goodale were among those committed to show up at Wolfville in the Annapolis Valley.
“We want to ensure that the concerns of rural Canadians are heard and addressed in Parliament as well as ensure that a rural perspective is included in the party’s platform for the next election,” Ontario MP and Liberal rural caucus chair Bob Speller said when announcing the Nova Scotia meeting.
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Issues on agenda
The rural caucus of 30 or more MPs meets regularly to figure out ways to put rural issues on the government agenda.
Prince Edward Island MP Wayne Easter said rural caucus has been telling the government that budget and service cuts have been hitting rural areas hard since the Liberals began attempts to balance the budget in 1994.
“I think this cabinet interest is a recognition of the fact that rural caucus has been hammering away all along in the idea that rural areas have borne more than their fair share in the deficit-cutting exercise,” he said.
Shot in the arm needed
“It’s time we started to debate a strategy for boosting rural areas.”
Easter said he does not believe Liberal party support has fallen in rural areas, despite the cuts.
He expects rural caucus will be debating and offering views to the government on the future of the Canadian Wheat Board and the appropriate policy to secure the future of supply management.
“I think the prime minister has said some positive things about rural Canada and it’s time to create the policies and strategies to support that.”
Speller said one of the goals of the Liberal rural caucus during the next few months is “developing a rural strategy for the next election.”
