Cross-border cooperation should aim to tackle common challenges identified jointly in the border regions, such as: poor accessibility, especially in relation to information and communication technologies (ICT) connectivity and transport infrastructure, declining local industries, an inappropriate business environment, lack of networks among local and regional administrations, low levels of research and innovation and take-up of ICT, environmental pollution, risk prevention, negative attitudes towards neighbouring country citizens and ...[+++]aim to exploit the untapped growth potential in border areas (development of cross-border research and innovation facilities and clusters, cross-border labour market integration, cooperation among education providers, including universities or between health centres), while enhancing the cooperation process for the purpose of the overall harmonious development of the Union.

(Return tabled) Question No. 985 Mr. Pierre Dionne Labelle: With regard to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC): (a) how many CIC positions will be eliminated in 2012 and subsequent years, broken down by (i) year, (ii) province; (b) how will the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique, which co-chaired the CIC’s British Columbia region, fit into the new structure if the British Columbia region disappears; (c) has the impact of merging services for the Atlantic region with the Quebec region been ...[+++] analyzed and, if so, what were the findings; (d) what impact will merging services for the Atlantic and Quebec regions have on francophone immigration; (e) what structures will be implemented to avoid competition between the Atlantic and Quebec regions for francophone immigrants if the decision-making centre is transferred to the province of Quebec; and (f) how will cuts to the Destination Canada Job Fair budget be offset in order to ensure that the Atlantic provinces can continue to attract francophone immigrants in light of competition from the province of Quebec for francophone immigrants?

Only as part of a strategic orientation that puts the region at its centre can our approach to the Atlantic be less one toward a peripheral region and more one that affirms its geo-centrality in the world.

(Return tabled) Question No. 108 Ms. Olivia Chow: With respect to crime prevention programs: (a) what studies and evaluations have been undertaken, requested or commissioned by the government with respect to budget cuts to social programs and the rise in violent crime since 1995; (b) which studies are related specifically to the rise in violent youth crime; (c) what individuals, department, or organization undertook these studies; (d) what is the cost of these studies; ...[+++] (e) what are the findings and recommendations of these studies; (f) how many projects have been funded through the Crime Prevention Action Fund since 2000; (g) how many of these projects were pilot projects, and how long did each last for; (h) how long were the projects funded for; (i) how many and which projects have been funded in the city of Toronto since 2000; (j) how much has been invested in the Youth Gang Prevention Fund every year since 2000; (k) which programs have been funded through the Youth Gang Prevention Fund in the city of Toronto since 2000 and how much was granted in each case; (l) how many of these projects were pilot projects and how long did each last; (m) what is the annual funding for the National Centre for Crime Prevention; (n) how much was cut or re-allocated from the refocusing of some funding from the National Centre for Crime Prevention in the 2006 budget; (o) where did the 2006 budget cuts come from and which projects or organizations were cut; (p) what was the purpose, goal, and outcome of the refocusing of funding to the National Centre for Crime Prevention; (q) how many programs were funded by the National Centre for Crime Prevention in every year since 2000; (r) how many programs were funded through the national drug strategy in every year since 2000; (s) how many of the programs have been evaluated in the past four years; (t) how many young people received services as a result of this funding; (u) how many of these evaluations were positive; (v) ...

BELGIUM Members Mr Jozef CHABERT Brussels Region Mr Norbert DE BATSELIER Flemish Community Mr Michel LEBRUN French-Speaking Community Mr Albert LIENARD Walloon Region Mr Joseph MARAITE German-Speaking Community Mrs Laurette ONKELINX French-Speaking Community Mr Charles PICQUE Brussels Region Mr Johan SAUWENS Flemish Community Mr Guy SPITAELS Walloon Region Mr Luc VAN DEN BOSSCHE Flemish Community Mr Luc VAN DEN BRANDE Flemish Community Mr Hugo WECKX Flemish Community Alternates Mr William ANCION Walloon Region Mr Stefaan DE CLERCK Flemish Community Mr Rufin GRIJP Brussels Region Mr Lode HANCKE Flemish Community Mr Theo KELCHTERMANS Flemish Community Mr André KRUPA French-Speaking Community Mr Herman SUYKERBUYK Flemish Community Mr Jean-Loui ...[+++]s THYS Brussels Region Mrs Nathalie de T'SERCLAES French-Speaking Community Mr Jean-Claude VAN CAUWENBERGHE Walloon Region Mr Paul VAN GREMBERGEN Flemish Community Mr Louis VANVELTHOVEN Flemish Community DENMARK Members Mr Per KAALUND Chairman of Copenhagen County Council Mr Poul CHRISTENSEN Chairman of Storstrøm County Council Mr Knud ANDERSEN Chairman of Bornholm County Council Mr Henning TELLERUP Chairman of Vestsjælland County Council Mr Hilmar SØLUND Mayor of Herning Mrs Helene LUND Member of Farum Town Council Mr Søren ANDERSEN 2nd Deputy Mayor of Skive Mr Evan JENSEN Mayor of Lejre Mr Jens Kramer MIKKELSEN Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Alternates Mr Søren MADSEN Chairman of Nordjlland County Council Mrs Bente NIELSEN Member of Århus County Council Mr Kresten PHILIPSEN Chairman of Sønderjylland County Council Mr Poul Erling CHRISTENSEN Chairman of Ribe County Council Mr Thorkild SIMONSEN Mayor of Århus Mr Kjeld RASMUSSEN Mayor of Brøndby Mrs Elna Fjord NIELSEN 2nd Deputy Mayor of Ringe Mrs Else KØBSTRUP 1st Deputy Mayor of Hjørring Mr John WINTHER Mayor of Frederiksberg FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Members Mr Erwin TEUFEL Chief Minister - Baden-Württemberg Mr Dieter SPÖRI Minister for Economic Affairs - Baden-Württemberg Mr Thomas ...

[411] The Shepody Healing Centre (Atlantic region) with 40 beds; the Archambault unit (Quebec region) with 120 beds; the Regional Treatment Centre (Kingston, Ontario) with 149 beds; the Regional Psychiatric Centre (Prairie region) is a 194 bed facility linked to the University of Saskatchewan through a special agreement; the Regional Treatment Centre in Abbotsford (Pacific region) with 192 beds.