I'm always surprised and pleased when governments look for partners to reduce the costs to taxpayers. CCFI was asked by ACOA over the years, when they were getting $2 million a year in funding, to look for other partners through either industry or other things. Here you have the four Atlantic premiers agreeing to put $400,000 of provincial money into this, plus whatever industry money can follow. Given more time, it is quite possible CCFI could be self-financing in some way through other agencies, industry, or whatever. But they're not there yet.
For the government to not seek partnership with the CCFI and basically say “We're done now, you're on your own, good luck and goodbye” is a mistake. They should be looking for partnership and for the one-third, one-third, and one-third in investments. They do it with infrastructure and other things. I think this is an opportunity for the federal government to work with provincial governments and eventually wean them off the road they're on.
I believe my colleague Mr. Weston indicated that might be quite possible in six months or a year. I don't think we're asking for five-year funding in this regard, because things can change right away. We just need something they can get now to keep the doors open; otherwise the doors will close--that's the danger. If we don't do the ACOA and DFO funding, ACOA funding will cease, DFO funding will cease, and provincial funding will cease. So all those additional funds going to CCFI will cease, because everything's based on the funding from ACOA.
So I hope my colleagues on all sides will be able to move as strong an amendment as possible to advise the government that we're not amused--as the Queen would say--and see what we can do to move this forward.
Thank you.