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| For immediate release |
February 11, 2005 |
Minister McCallum refuses to apologize to Provinces
Ottawa - Rob Moore, MP for Fundy Royal, and chair of the Atlantic
Conservative Caucus stood today in the House of Commons to ask the
Minister of Revenue to apologize for his comments toward provinces
receiving equalization payments.
On Wednesday Minister McCallum referred to the province of Saskatchewan
as being "mired in the world of have-not, clamouring for subsidies" and
that they should "take on the positive attitude of a have province."
"As the Minister of Revenue, these remarks were totally inappropriate
and degrading," said Moore. "Canadians in so called have not provinces
work just as hard as anyone and positive attitudes can be found in any
part of Canada. The Ministers remarks were insulting and divisive and I
call on him to apologize for them in this House".
To add insult to injury, Minister McCallum refused to respond to Moore's
request, forcing the Minister of Finance to stand in his place.
The insulting remarks from the Revenue Minister come just weeks after
the Atlantic Provinces finally received a commitment from the federal
government to maintain 100 % of their offshore wealth. A promise the
Prime Minister made to Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia during
last Junes election.
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For more information contact
Gisele Taylor at (613) 996-2332, cell (613) 297-4818
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