Kevin O’Leary on Atlantic Canada

Conservative leadership candidate Kevin O’Leary isn’t winning many friends in Atlantic Canada. O’Leary says the Atlantic provinces better not expect to continue receiving equalization payments in perpetuity if he becomes prime minister.

O’Leary told the Charlottetown Guardian this region relies too heavily on federal transfer payments. He went on to say his only campaign promise he is to grow the country’s economy by three per cent…and he will penalize provinces that hinder that. Specifically, he mentioned cutting transfer payments to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick if they don’t life their mopratoriums on fracking.

Cod stocks rebuilding

The Commons Committee on Fisheries and Oceans wants the depoartment to come up with a rebuilding plan for northern cod immediately.

Its report says decimated cod stocks are showing signs of a slow rebuilding almost 25 years after the fishing moratorium was imposed in 1992.

Committee chair Scott Simms says the recovery needs to be handled properly by DFO because of cod’s importantance to the region…and there should be annual studies to monitor their recovery.