John's Posts

New Minister, Less Money, and No Practical Plan for Development:  Rafferty

THUNDER BAY – Canada’s New Democrats believe that the Harper Conservatives are turning their backs on business and small communities in Northern Ontario with massive cuts to program funding for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor).

M- 433 to “level playing field” for small rural communities

OTTAWA – Thunder Bay-Rainy River New Democrat MP John Rafferty tabled a Private Members Motion in the House of Commons today which would establish a permanent Rural Infrastructure Fund to assist small municipalities across Canada in the development, repair, and upgrading of their core physical infrastructure.

OTTAWA –Member of Parliament John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) attended the inaugural meeting of the All-Party Entrepreneurship caucus today.

The stated goal of the All-Party Entrepreneurship is; ‘to be the grassroots voice of small business on Parliament Hill, giving all MPs a true understanding of the needs and aims of entrepreneurs,’ and is something that Rafferty said he fully supports.

OTTAWA – New Democrat Member of Parliament John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) began his push today for federal funding for the City of Thunder Bay’s proposed multi-purpose events centre.

“The Thunder Bay multiplex is an exciting community proposal and will be an important economic development tool for the city,” Rafferty said as he rose to deliver a statement on the project in the House of Commons.  “It sounds like a perfect project for the federal government to partner in.”

OTTAWA – New Democrat Member of Parliament John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) said today’s announcement of 239 layoffs at Resolute Forest Products Fort Frances mill are devastating for the workers and their families, and are a significant  threat to the struggling Northwestern Ontario economy.