MP pining for debate on riding's northernness

by Keely Grasser

Mar 12, 2008

ALMAGUIN — Sault Ste. Marie MP Tony Martin is challenging Nipissing-Temiskaming MP Anthony Rota to a debate on FedNor.

Martin, an NDP member, extended the challenge to Rota and other northern Liberal MPs last week. He said he wants them to discuss their respective FedNor-related private members’ bills.

Last year, Martin brought forward a bill that seeks to have FedNor, an Industry Canada program that helps support economic development in Northern Ontario, become a full development agency but would exclude Parry Sound-Muskoka from eligibility.

Rota later brought forward his own private member’s bill, which Martin said was “word for word” the same as his bill, save for the exclusion of Parry Sound-Muskoka.

Martin said he hadn’t thought far enough ahead to plan for a setting for the proposed debate, but stressed that the discussion has to take place.

“I’m saying if we’re going to bump up this FedNor agency (to a full economic development agency)…we need to be clear on the boundaries,” he said.

Martin said he believes Northern Ontario boundaries, for the sake of FedNor, should be based on historic boundary landmarks — the French and Mattawa Rivers.

He said that Parry Sound-Muskoka was only included in FedNor when its prior member, Andy Mitchell, championed its inclusion — without public discussion.

“I’m saying, right or wrong, there should have been a discussion,” he said.

As of Monday, Martin had no Liberal takers on his challenge to a debate.

Rota said that he does think the matter deserves to be debated — in the House of Commons when the bills reach due course.

“I think he’s (Martin) playing politics more than ever before,” he said.

Martin will be bringing his FedNor campaign, which he calls Stand up for Northern Ontario, into Parry Sound-Muskoka later this month.

He’s been holding public consultations on Northern Ontario boundaries throughout the north, and will bring the campaign to Gravenhurst, he said, at the end of the month.

He said it’s important to talk to residents since “if we move ahead (on the bill), they’ll be affected.”

“I want to know why they think they belong in Northern Ontario,” he said, adding that, at the moment, he’s not convinced that the boundary should remain the same, but is open to further thought.

“I’m not opposed to your member (Parry Sound-Muskoka MP and FedNor minister Tony Clement), either,” Martin said. “He has a very important position to play.”

Clement said he has his own take on Martin and Rota’s campaigns.

“I call it the dueling banjos,” he said. “Other than (as) a form of entertainment, I’m not paying a lot of attention to it.”