FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MAY 7 2012

CHRISTINE MOORE DENOUNCES PARKS CANADA CUTS

Fort Témiscamingue will no longer offer guided tours, laments MP

OTTAWA — New Democrat MP Christine Moore (Abitibi–Témiscamingue) denounces the Conservative government’s cuts to Parks Canada, which will have a serious impact on the Fort Témiscamingue national historic site.

“Fort Témiscamingue bears witness to Canada’s history and its founding peoples,” said Moore. “By attacking this historic site we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. It is a loss of our history and an outright denial of our identity.”

The cuts to Parks Canada announced in the federal budget will have serious consequences for Fort Témiscamingue, which now has no choice but to open later in the season, end its guided tours and scale back programming. Many jobs will also have to be cut.

“Every year 8,000 people visit Fort Témiscamingue,” said Moore, “It’s the region’s main tourist attraction and this cut to services will certainly lead to a drop in visitors. The Conservatives laud their management of the economy but the first chance they get they make cuts to curb its growth. The people of Témiscamingue have made enormous efforts to boost the tourism industry, and now the government is dropping the axe.”

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For more information, contact:

Youssef Amane, Press Secretary, NDP Caucus

youssef.amane@parl.gc.ca or 613-222-6993