Jordan to focus on connectivity as Minister for Rural ­Economic ­Development

By Gordon Lambie
Jordan to focus on connectivity as Minister for Rural ­Economic ­Development
Bernadette Jordan, Member of Parliament for the riding of South Shore-St. Margaret’s in Nova Scotia and was Canada’s Minister for Rural Economic Development. (Photo : Gordon Lambie)

In Monday’s cabinet shuffle Bernadette Jordan, Member of Parliament for the riding of South Shore-St. Margaret’s in Nova Scotia, was named Canada’s Minister for Rural Economic Development. Immediately swept off to Sherbrooke for this week’s cabinet retreat, Jordan shared with The Record on Thursday that she wants to focus on the question of connectivity as she gets a handle on what this newly created position represents to Canadians. “I haven’t actually seen a mandate letter yet,” the new minister said, noting that while what fits under the umbrella of the rural economy varies depending on where one looks in Canada, issues like cell phone reception and broadband internet connectivity are present in rural areas from coast to coast. “You want people to be able to live and work wherever they want and if you don’t have good internet coverage it’s a very difficult thing,” Jordan added, calling the issue a key piece of the development puzzle. The minister acknowledged that there are already efforts underway to find solutions in many regions, but suggested that having a member of the cabinet working on the matter would help “drive the point home.” See full story in the Friday, Jan. 18 edition of The Record.

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