Norlock ready for vote

Unemployment, families ignored: Liberal candidate

By Ernst Kuglin, QMI Agency

Posted 11 months ago

NORTHUMBERLAND - It appears the election die has been cast.

Voters in Northumberland-Quinte West are likely headed to the polls for a spring election. The government could be defeated in a non-confidence vote as early as Friday.

Cookies such as guaranteed income supplement for seniors, tax credits for volunteer firefighters, forgiving students loans for doctors and nurses and the popular EcoEnergy Retrofit tax credits weren't enough to convince opposition parties to back away from the threat of an election.

That's not fazing Northumberland-Quinte West MP Rick Norlock.

The veteran MP, who appears to be in campaign mode, stopped just short of saying bring on the budget vote, and described Tuesday's document as a good fit for the "times we live in."

"It meets the needs of seniors, Canadian families, struggling businesses and municipalities," said Norlock.

The MP took direct aim at local Liberal candidate Kim Rudd.

Rudd issued a statement last week saying the government was ending the Eastern Ontario Development Plan.

That is not the case, Norlock said, adding the program will continue for another two years.

"I want to say to Ms. Rudd she should send an e-mail to her party leader and tell him to vote in favour of the budget," said Norlock.

Norlock said he spent weeks in the riding meeting with constituents and organizations like the Quinte Manufacturers Association to get a feel for what they wanted included in the budget.

The budget helps address the needs of rural municipalities like Quinte West, Norlock said, adding there's help to attract more doctors to the city.

Norlock said the city will receive $2.6 million annually from federal gas tax revenues.

"That number is finalized in this budget. The city will receive that annually."

Norlock also tapped into what could be a focal point of his local campaign — the massive $860-million federal investment at CFB Trenton.

Quinte West stands to receive upward of $14 million in lieu of tax payments from the federal government by 2017.

Rudd said she's ready to hit the campaign trail, no matter when an election is called.

If the the government falls, potential election dates are May 2 or May 9.

Rudd said there's little in the budget to help job growth in Northumberland-Quinte West.

She said despite the fact the Tories have decided to renew the EODP for another two years, the funding is clearly not enough to combat the "crisis'' in unemployment in this riding.

She said the local unemployment numbers stand at 11.4 per cent.

"Despite this appalling number, Rick Norlock has allowed crucial EODP funding to stagnate at the exact same amount with no increase. Also funding for the crucial Community Futures Program has only been increased by a pittance,'' said Rudd.

She also described the income supplement for seniors as a joke.

"Ontario has approximately 500,000 seniors living on $15,000 a year or less and the Harper/Norlock government can only find a few pennies a year to help lift them out of poverty,'' said Rudd. "This is a clear indication of their contempt for low-income seniors.''

Rudd added she has little faith in the numbers in the budget.

Officially the local New Democrats do not have a candidate, although Russ Christianson will be acclaimed at a nomination meeting later this month.

With Christianson out of the country, campaign manager Murray Weppler handled media calls.

Weppler described the budget as window dressing.

"The Conservatives obviously wanted an election. If they wanted to avoid an election, like they say, they would have been a lot more generous by helping the poor and seniors,'' said Weppler. "A income supplement of $300 won't help. The Conservatives know that. It's nothing but political posturing of the cheapest sort.''

Weppler said the NDP will be out to hold the Conservative government accountable. He said NDP Leader Jack Layton has no choice but vote against the budget.

"While they (the Conservative government) may be in contempt of Parliament, they are definately in contempt of voters,'' said Weppler. "We have a government that won't tell us how much of our money they are spending on fighter jets or super jails,'' said Weppler. "We are heading down the same road as the U.S.''

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