Keith Ashfield, minister of Fisheries and Oceans and minister for the Atlantic Gateway, joined Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe MP Robert Goguen for a meeting with Metro Moncton business leaders yesterday morning.
The meeting at the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce was a federal pre-budget consultation.
"We heard about the need for programs that will continue to stimulate the economy, which will create opportunities for greater Moncton," Goguen said.
He said he got the message from business they want "the continuation of projects that would create infrastructure, whether it be a metro centre (or other projects)."
Shortly before Christmas, Moncton heard it would not be getting any federal money from P3 Canada, a Crown corporation formed to help fund public works.
At the time, Goguen, who made the construction of an events centre in Moncton's downtown one of his campaign priorities, said he was hopeful another federal funding program would be coming along once the federal government got a better handle on how the European economic crisis would play out and affect Canada.
Yesterday, he said, "the story hasn't changed. Programs with funding, like with a building program or what have you, they sort of come and go as the economy wanes and gets better."
While Goguen said deficit reduction remains the focus of his government, "if need be, the Government of Canada will be here to stimulate the economy, and if they do stimulate the economy, funds such as the building fund come into play."
Meanwhile, Ashfield explained the purpose of his visit.
"We're going across the country and having roundtables such as this not only to talk to the business community but also the arts community as well," said Ashfield. He said they would be taking the feedback to finance minister Jim Flaherty to help him formulate his spring budget.
Ashfield said he heard "a very broad spectrum of topics and concerns" from the local business and arts community, but businesses' access to capital, Enterprise Greater Moncton's strategy for the community, and "lots of opportunities and positive direction" came out of the meeting.
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