January 23, 2009

OTTAWA – Over the past six weeks the Prime Minister, Ministers and MPs have participated in pre budget consultations right across the country.

“As part of this effort, I held a very successful town hall soliciting budget feedback, which I later brought directly to the attention of the Minister of Finance,” said local MP Guy Lauzon. Lauzon added that he is “confident that this had been the most comprehensive and inclusive pre-budget consultation process in Canadian history.

In support of this claim, Lauzon cites the fact that the government has:

• Met with leaders of all the Provinces and Territories
• Made over 84 separate visits to cities across the country and held countless roundtables.
• Met with 680 organizations representing manufacturing, forestry, mining and industry
• Received 7,400 responses through the Minister of Finance’s online consultation tool in addition 5,400 letters, emails, and submissions from groups and individuals
• Met Federation of Canadian Municipalities (representing 1, 775 members)
• Government Members of the Finance Committee met with 45 stakeholder groups
• Held face-to-face meetings with more than 46 municipalities
• Written to, and asked for, submissions from Federal opposition parties

“On January 27, 2009, Canadians can rest assured that they will be presented with a budget that will guide our country through these uncertain times,” added Lauzon.