Rural issues given spotlight with creation of new ministry

It's been a whirlwind week for Bernadette Jordan, Justin Trudeau's newest cabinet minister and Nova Scotia MP. After being sworn in as minister for rural development Monday, Jordan has quickly found herself sitting around the table at the cabinet retreat in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

But despite being in her new role for less than a week, Jordan is ready to hit the ground running, she told Chris Hall in an interview on CBC's The House airing Saturday. 

"One of the big issues we'll be facing is connectivity," she said. "We need to really step up and make sure rural Canada is not at a disadvantage because it doesn't have the connectivity. It's not just broadband, it's cell phone coverage as well. Those are going to be priorities for me going forward in developing a rural economic strategy."

Jordan will be working out of the infrastructure department, but she doesn't see that as a limitation on her ministerial sway. 

"We're housed in Infrastructure because Infrastructure and Innovation are two departments I'm going to have to work closely with," she said, adding that she will have separate staff. 

"Pretty much every ministry touches rural Canada, and we need to make sure we have that voice at the table."

Although Jordan acknowledged there are other issues concerning rural Canada, her focus will be on connectivity, she repeated throughout the interview.

"In 2019, if you want to grow your business overseas or even within Canada, you have to have the connectivity to do it. That is going to be a top priority."

Jordan may not have her official mandate letter yet, but she said she's "already in discussions" with the Minister of Finance about what piece of the pie Rural Economic Development can expect in the 2019 federal budget.

In the 2016 budget, the Liberals committed to investing $500 million by 2021 to bring high-speed Internet to 300 rural and remote communities in Canada, under the Connect to Innovate program. 

Jordan said the creation of her new portfolio highlights the government's commitment to following through on that program. 

"We recognize how important it is to connect rural Canadians," she said. "This is one of those things that just moves us that next step further."