Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent northern Ontario, a region that is stronger because of its francophone communities, diversity and beautiful landscapes.
FedNor plays a key role in ensuring that municipalities, businesses and organizations, both large and small, can grow and succeed in French throughout the region. FedNor's work, alongside key partners such as the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario du grand Sudbury and the Conseil des arts de Nipissing Ouest, is helping to protect French in Nickel Belt and greater Sudbury.
On this side of the House, we support federal economic development agencies across the country, unlike the Conservatives and their “Ottawa knows best” approach. The Conservatives cut the budgets of agencies like FedNor. We increased its funding and transformed it into a stand-alone, independent economic development agency for all of northern Ontario.