AngusCharlie_NDP

What used to be a wonderful place to work and an important economic player, FedNor now is struggling to make ends meet and keep employees.  

Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus is calling on the Liberal government to help restore FedNor to it’s future glory. The conservative government of yesteryear made $26 million in budget cuts to FedNor, and the Liberals have done nothing to rectify the situation.

The funding cuts have damaged the company internally.  A 2014 Public Service Employee Survey shows satisfactions rates have dropped dramatically, from 84 per cent in 2008 to 30 per cent in 2014. That number is miles below the standard Industry Canada average at 71 per cent.

For an organization that means so much to the Northern Ontario economy, low company moral can be damaging.

“FedNor plays a crucial role in building economic development opportunities for Northern Ontario. The report shows that the work of staff is constrained by budget limitations, recent cuts and a lack of effective decision-making in senior management,” Angus said in a press release.

Angus has called out Minister of Scientific, Innovation and Economic Development Navdeep Bains to explain the indifference emanating from the party.

“This government has taken no steps to restore the FedNor budget from recent cuts or to make FedNor a stand-alone independent agency. The question is how will the minister respond to this scathing report?” Angus said.

The New Democrats would like FedNor to become a stand-alone agency, as it wold allow greater independence and accountability.