[mmmatt]

Group in Ottawa to push for federal funds for major economic development projects

Times & Transcript (Moncton)
Fri 23 Mar 2007


The Metro Moncton delegation to Ottawa that was looking for $11 million in federal aid for local infrastructure projects headed home yesterday with thoughts of making it an annual pilgrimage.

"It is something we should do every year," said Enterprise Greater Moncton chairman Brian Baxter.

The delegation of about 18 people from Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview were pushing a convention centre for Moncton, an inland port and aerospace park for Dieppe and the Fundy Gateway for Riverview. They want a federal investment of $9 million for the convention centre, $900,000 for the inland port and $1 million for the Fundy Gateway.

They met Wednesday with Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson and Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, the minister responsible for the Moncton-based Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Yesterday they met with officials from ACOA, Transport Canada, Infrastructure Canada and officials from Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day's office.

Baxter, the lead of the delegation, said it was useful to meet in person the bureaucrats who will eventually make recommendations about the proposals, and remarked at the number of Maritimers in key positions of power in Ottawa.

"Maritimers that are in key bureaucratic positions in Ottawa here are quite willing to help," he said.

"We accomplished far more than what we anticipated we could achieve.

"It does not mean we got anything approved or we have any cheques to bring home. But at least I can assure you that Greater Moncton got its case before the people that are going to make the decisions."