NDP candidate Marc Laferriere is taking Brant's issues to Ottawa.

The trip was prompted by the Conservative government's prorogation of Parliament and Laferriere's view that crucial time has been wasted.

"It's been a reminder of what could have been happening the last six weeks," he said.

Laferriere left for Ottawa Thursday to meet with various MPs for two days and discuss local issues such as recognition of foreign credentials and strategies to support military families in Brant, he said.

"When we're out on doorsteps and we're talking with people in the community, these are the issues that are coming up," Laferriere told Brant News Friday.

"We have highly-trained, highly-skilled immigrants who are unable to work in this community in fields like medicine, engineering and many others," Laferriere said. "At the same time, we have military families who are woefully under supported financially and socially in this riding."

Laferriere met with MP Paul Dewar (Ottawa-Centre) to discuss foreign credentials and improving support for military families.

Laferriere said the social isolation being faced by military families has been ignored, and he wants to change that.

"We must support both our troops fighting valiantly and their families here at home," he said. "We want to see that happen locally and federally."

Throughout the suspension of Parliament, Laferriere has been keeping a blog titled "the week that could have been."

Each week he writes about an issue that he believes would have been raised in the House of Commons. Topics have included jobs, stimulus spending, crime and the environment.

The candidate will round out his trip with an updated blog entry describing what he was up to in Ottawa.