Notes for an address by

The Honourable Rona Ambrose
President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada,
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister of Western Economic Diversification
Funding Announcement 

 

Corresponding Document: News release (2007-12-02)

Check Against Delivery

Thank you Mayor Lemke.

Good morning everyone.

I’m delighted to be here today to celebrate this wonderful announcement with you. To begin, I would like to acknowledge my fellow platform guest: The Honourable Fred Lindsay, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security.

It’s important that our partners are here to share the results of our collaborative efforts and celebrate what can be accomplished when all orders of government work towards creating stronger and more vibrant communities. Partnership is the cornerstone of the Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund.

It is also fitting that we are here in the Town of Stony Plain to start our second round of CAMRIF announcements. This is a community that continues to grow stronger and more prosperous because of the dedication and efforts of community-minded organizations, volunteers and municipal officials.

I am honoured to be part of such a vibrant community that nurtures and cherishes its past, while looking toward to the future. I am pleased to announce that the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta are jointly investing more than $2 million, through CAMRIF, towards the revitalization and expansion of the Stony Plain Exhibition Park.

The revitalization of the Stony Plain Exhibition Park will help meet the growing needs of our community. As a result of this project, residents and local groups will have year-round access to quality park amenities, community event hosting, and outdoor equestrian and agricultural venues. This project will benefit the residents of Stony Plain and neighbouring communities by providing an environment that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle.

Our Government recognizes that strong, healthy communities require modern infrastructure, which is why we are delivering on our promise to help communities become vibrant and productive places to live, work and raise families. In Budget 2007, our Government outlined its long-term infrastructure plan called the Building Canada Plan.

The Plan invests an unprecedented $33 billion over seven years towards infrastructure that supports a growing economy, a clean environment and more prosperous communities. This is stable, predictable funding that Canadians can count on and, as was indicated in the Speech from the Throne, is important to our long-term growth. The Building Canada Plan will restore public confidence and trust and produce results in areas that matter to Canadians.

While action continues on the Building Canada Plan, our government is providing an additional $200 million to the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund to help smaller Canadian communities meet their pressing infrastructure needs. Alberta has received an additional $19 million from the federal government that will be matched by the province.

This brings the total federal and provincial investment in the Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund along with matching local government contributions to $321 million. These investments are concrete examples of our commitment to build and modernize Canada’s infrastructure in communities like Stony Plain, which help shape the economic, social and cultural landscape of Alberta.

Canada’s future depends on the success of its communities, both large and small, and our Government is ensuring that Canadians have the advantages they need to improve their quality of life and succeed on the world stage. That’s why, during this session of Parliament, our government will maintain a clear focus on our priorities: Strengthening Canada’s sovereignty and place in the world; Strengthening the federation and our democratic institutions; Providing effective economic leadership for a prosperous future; Tackling crime and strengthening the security of Canadians; and Improving the environment and health of Canadians.

Building upon the economic commitments of the Speech from the Throne, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, recently released the Government of Canada’s Fiscal Update. In this update, our Government took bold new steps to build a better Canada with an ambitious economic plan that proposes broad-based tax relief for individuals, families and businesses of $60 billion over this and the next five fiscal years.

Combined with the previous tax relief provided by this Government, total tax relief over the same period is almost $190 billion. Almost three-quarters of the tax relief proposed in this Fiscal Update will benefit individual Canadians and their families.

In fact, the total tax relief announced in the Economic Statement will result in over
$8.6 billion for Alberta over this and the following five fiscal years. These tax reductions will strengthen our economy, stimulate investment and create more and better jobs.

Our Government believes that, by working together, we can build a Canadian standard of living and quality of life that is second to none. The first steps to success start here at the community level. I would like to recognize the enormous amount of work and commitment required to make these projects a reality.

I would like to thank the members of the Town of Stony Plain for bringing this project forward for funding consideration. I’d also like to thank the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties for their role as partners in Canada-Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund.

Together, we are committed to building and sustaining our communities to benefit today’s generation of residents as well as those of the future. Thank you for being here for this important announcement and for your ongoing support.