Conservatives: Strong on the Economy

January 25, 2008

Today, under the strong leadership of the Conservative Government, Canadian workers are benefiting from lower taxes, the strongest fiscal position of any country in the G7 and renewed confidence in our country’s future. Our unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in thirty three years, business investment is expanding and our budget is not only balanced, it is more than balanced, allowing us to pay off record amounts of debt.

While there is much for many Canadians to look forward to in the months ahead, many other Canadians remain worried about the future of their jobs and communities.
In particular, changes in the global economy have impacted Canadians living in rural and semi-rural communities that are dependent on traditional industries. These people will tell you that external forces, including the high dollar, international trade practices and the slowing of the U.S. economy, are issues that cannot be ignored.

Yet, for years, the previous Liberal government found it easy to do just that when they ignored the worries of the people in these regions. It is clear that the Liberal Party, both in government and now in opposition, has forgotten that Canada is more than just a country of big cities. In contrast, Prime Minister Stephen Harper believes in a Canada that works for all of us – whether we live in cities, towns, villages or rural areas.

That is why the Conservative Government has encouraged investment and job creation by lowering taxes for all Canadians while responsibly paying down the national debt. In our Fall Economic Statement, we announced $60 billion in broad-based tax relief for individuals, families and businesses to stimulate our business sector and encourage consumer confidence. This announcement, when combined with other measures we have taken since coming to office, will bring close to $200 billion in tax relief over the next five years. This will give us the lowest federal tax rate in 44 years, which will maintain business confidence and help move our economy forward.

Although the fundamentals of the Canadian economy are strong, Canada - as an open trading economy - cannot be immune from the growing uncertainty we see in the U.S. and the global economies. However, this Government can, and is, taking proactive steps to ensure the impacts of recession are lessened. As we approach our budget, we will be doing what hard working Canadians do when things are uncertain: We will take cautious steps to ensure that our finances are stable and we will continue to pay down debt.

Canadians can count on the Conservative Government to continue to show strong leadership on the economy.

Guy Lauzon, MP
Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry