Ottawa, Ontario - Today the Conservative government delivered the 2010 Federal Budget. Greg Rickford, MP for Kenora, is pleased with the policies that have been brought forward. Consistent with the priorities of Canadians, the budget outlines the second phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, both introducing new stimulus measures to create and protect jobs and reaffirming earlier commitments. The 2010 Budget also looks ahead to ensure Canada’s long-term economic growth.

“We will continue with a plan that is working, by implementing Phase II of Canada’s Economic Action Plan,” said Rickford. “This will ensure that jobs and economic growth remain our top priority. As our economy recovers, we will pursue deficit reduction without raising taxes, and without cutting transfer payments.”

This budget has three key components:

1) $19 billion of new federal stimulus spending under Year 2 of Canada’s Economic Action Plan
2) Investments in targeted initiatives to build jobs and economic growth, strengthen Canadian innovation, and make Canada a destination of choice for new business investment
3) A three-point plan to bring Canada’s finances back to balance

Of the $19 billion of new federal stimulus spending, the Government will provide $1.3 billion in support to regions that have been hard hit by the economic downturn, including forestry, agriculture, small business, tourism, shipbuilding and culture. These investments will focus on the job creation and maintenance. We have also introduced $3.2 billion in personal income tax relief, $4 billion in re-training and worker support – including EI benefits, $7.7 billion in infrastructure, and $1.9 billion in research and development to build the economy of tomorrow.

This budget extends and further invests in work-sharing agreements, which have been of fundamental importance to workers in hard-hit sectors. We have also introduced over $100 million to support young workers, both with skills development programs and internships that will make them more productive and employable. This includes an additional $30 million for the Skills Link program, which been well received and utilized in the Kenora riding. The Government also introduced $30 million over two years for improving First Nations education outcomes.

One of our largest accomplishments is making Canada a tariff-free zone for manufacturing inputs; we will be the first country within the G7 and G20 to do so. This action will boost new investment, increase productivity, and create 12,000 jobs. Our economic advantage will be further enhanced by lowering taxes for businesses, making us one of the world’s most competitive tax regimes by 2012.

Small and medium enterprises are the engine of the Canadian economy, and they create the majority of new jobs. Our government is committed to supporting these businesses, by identifying and removing barriers to growth. We have taken important steps to reduce the administrative burden on Canadian businesses, by streamlining regulations, eliminating duplicate requirements and overlapping obligations, and reducing information requirements.

The Government is creating a new private sector Advisory Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which will report to the Government through the Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism. The Committee will provide advice on how to further improve business access to federal programs and information. In reaction to these initiatives, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business expressed its pleasure with the budget’s “measures to tackle the deficit and recognize the contribution of small business in growing the economy and creating jobs.” I am excited to see small and medium sized enterprises in the great Kenora riding take advantage of these policies to broaden their impact and accelerate their growth.

The forestry sector is a vital industry in northwestern Ontario. While it has been facing significant challenges in recent years, it will emerge stronger than ever as a result of structural changes in the sector. As part of the Economic Action Plan, the Government provided $170 million over two years to support market diversification and innovation, including research and demonstration projects on new forest products, and initiatives to help forestry companies market products internationally. The Forest Products Association of Canada has already applauded the budget’s focus on forestry, stating, “from a forest industry perspective, the Government has its priorities right: investing in green jobs of tomorrow, stimulating the economy through clean energy technologies.”

This past June, the Government introduced the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, with $1 billion available over three years to support investments by Canadian pulp and paper companies to improve the energy efficiency and environmental performance of their facilities. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will help them become leaders in the production of renewable energy from biomass. Budget 2010 takes additional action to build on these promising initiatives by establishing the Next Generation Renewable Power Initiative, with $100 million over the next four years to support the development, commercialization, and implementation of advanced clean energy technologies in the forestry sector. This initiative will help create a more sustainable forestry sector while contributing to Canada’s global leadership as a clean energy producer.

In the Kenora riding, Mr. Rickford worked hard with industry stakeholders to secure funding for the site development of Aspenware, a company producing biodegradable cutlery from forest products with minimal carbon footprint. “I look forward to the emergence of many more sustainable forestry projects in our riding”, said Rickford after the budget announcements.

The highlight of the budget with respect to First Nations was this government’s commitment of $285 million over two years for Aboriginal Health programs delivered by First Nations Inuit Health. In private practices as a lawyer and a health care consultant, Greg worked with a number of First Nations communities in the development of health programming at the community level. This $285 million is focused on addressing the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative, the Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention strategy, maternal and child health, the Aboriginal Health Human Resource Initiative and the Aboriginal Health Transition Fund. “As a registered nurse with years of experience in isolated and First Nations communities, I have long advocated for improved access to health care services for First Nations. Therefore, I am delighted that our Government recognizes the valuable role these five programs play in community health and social development.” The budget also includes important new funding for prevention-focused approaches to child and family services in First Nations communities

As this government continues to implement the Economic Action Plan, we will also look ahead to the future, recognizing it is important to take a long-term perspective to ensure that Canada emerges stronger than ever. To this end, stimulus spending will end as originally planned. The Government will follow through with the exit strategy built into the Economic Action Plan, and we will restrain spending through targeted measures.

In order to achieve this objective, Budget 2010 proposes $17.6 billion in savings over five years. The Government will undertake a comprehensive review of government administrative functions and overhead costs. This plan will cut the deficit nearly in half within two years, and cut it by two-thirds in three years, without raising taxes or cutting spending on health care, education, or support for seniors.

“The great Kenora riding has been a major beneficiary of many stimulus spending projects awarded in the first year of Canada’s Economic Action plan. As we move into Phase II of Canada’s Economic Action Plan and the construction season begins, I look forward to the very real prospects of this riding emerging stronger than ever from this global recession. We are on the right track and it’s a credit to this Government, the provincial government, municipal governments, and First Nations governments, for putting politics aside and getting work done,” said an enthusiastic Rickford.

http://www.budget.gc.ca/2010/pdf/budget-planbudgetaire-eng.pdf