RUSSELL SUPPORTS FORTEAU COMMUNITY PARTNER SITE

FORTEAU, February 2, 2011 — Labrador M.P. Todd Russell today expressed his opposition to the Conservative government’s decision to close Service Canada Community Partner Sites in Atlantic Canada, including the one in Forteau in the Labrador Straits.

“Community Partner Sites provide a vital outreach service to a large number of clients throughout the area,” Russell said. “The Forteau office is one of the busiest partner sites in the province. The nearest full-service offices are hundreds of kilometres away. This geographical reality is exactly why partner sites were established in the first place. That reality hasn’t changed.”

Russell says that the decision to close these sites is another slap in the face to rural and remote communities.

“It reflects the Harper Conservatives’ attitude that all government is bad, and that the size of government must be reduced at all costs, in order to pay for their corporate tax cuts,” Russell said.

“Unfortunately, the costs in this case are going to be borne by people who are well served by this vital public service. This is a downgrading of public services, and another retreat by the Conservative federal government from small rural and remote communities.”

Russell says he will be taking his concerns directly to the Minister in writing, and in the House of Commons.

He says he is encouraging local residents to add their voices to oppose the cutbacks in Labrador and other regions.

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Todd Russell, M.P.

(613) 996-4630