Today, Canada’s Finance Minister Jim Flaherty presented our Conservative Government’s Budget plan, which is helping to lead the way on jobs and growth.  

 

As Canadians remain concerned about jobs and the economy, our Government has held hundreds of consultations with Canadian workers and businesses.  As a result, Year 2 of Canada’s Economic Action Plan builds on Canada’s economic recovery with action to sustain our country’s economic advantage and chart the way forward to balance our budget.

 

The priorities of Canadians are at the forefront of plan to lead the way on jobs and growth.  As Year 2 of Canada’s Economic Action Plan rolls out, it contains important stimulus measures to help create jobs now, including the rapid rollout of infrastructure projects across the country.  It takes additional steps to protect existing jobs and create new ones, and it looks ahead to the future in order to secure Canada’s long-term growth.

 

We are also taking steps to reduce the deficit and to return to balanced budgets in the medium term.  At the same time, we will not balance the budget by cutting transfer payments for health care or education, or by raising taxes on hard-working Canadians.

 

Compare our Conservative Government’s action to protect our economy with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.  Ignatieff has described himself as a “tax-and-spend Liberal”.  Senior members of the Liberal Party suggest we need to raise taxes.  Ignatieff brags that he was the first Liberal to tout a carbon tax.  And if he becomes Prime Minister, Ignatieff says he “will have to raise taxes.”  That’s not the way to strengthen our economy. 

 

Our Conservative Government’s Jobs and Growth plan will help solidify Canada’s economic recovery, and it will sustain Canada’s economic advantage now and for the future.

 

Canada is at a key moment in our history as we emerge from the global recession.  Thanks to Conservative leadership, our Government is taking a key role in ensuring Canada’s economic recovery.  

Today, our Conservative Government unveiled the Speech from the Throne which outlined our Government’s broad agenda for the upcoming session of Parliament. 

 

We are proud that Canada will emerge from the recession powered by one of the strongest economies in the industrialized world.

 

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, jobs and growth will remain our Government’s top priority. We will focus on implementing year two of Canada’s Economic Action Plan to protect incomes, create jobs, ease credit markets, and help workers and communities get back on their feet.

 

Recognizing that too many Canadians are still looking for work, our Government will continue to work on job creation and job protection by helping young Canadians entering into today’s job market.

 

While we remain focused on jobs and growth, we are also planning a return to fiscal balance by winding down stimulus spending and by restraining federal program spending overall while protecting growth in transfers that directly benefit Canadians.

 

All the while, we will remain focused on building the jobs and industries of the future. We will invest in Canadians’ skills and education; we will keep taxes low; we will open markets to Canadian goods and services; and we will create the conditions for continued success of industries that are the foundation of Canada’s prosperity.

 

A stronger Canada now means a stronger Canada for the future.