Mr. Speaker, with budget 2010, the Conservative government has shown that it hopes to eliminate economic development agencies, including ACOA.
Under the previous Liberal government, two programs were created: an innovation fund and a communities fund.
Last year, $113 million was available for those two separate programs. Today it was announced that only $19 million would be available.
Now that the Conservatives have announced a $94 million funding cut for this year, can the minister explain to us why he has abandoned the people of Atlantic Canada?