STRONG LEADERSHIP. A BETTER CANADA
October 18, 2007

OTTAWA – “The Government’s Speech from the Throne clearly outlines a long-term agenda of clear goals and real results, focused on making life better for Canadians and their families,” states Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright. Benoit attended Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s speech in the House of Commons which explained that the Government of Canada is pursuing a mandate based on five core priorities, including:

• A Proud and Sovereign Canada in which the Government rigorously defends Canada’s place in the world including through the realization of our strong Arctic vision and a responsible, effective path forward in Afghanistan.

• A Strong Federation in which the Government will continue to strengthen the federation – and modernize its democratic institutions – through measures including formal limits on federal spending power and long-overdue reform of the Senate.

• A Prosperous Future in which the Government will provide effective economic leadership and a prosperous future by aggressively moving forward with broad tax relief that includes a further promised reduction in the GST.

• A Safe and Secure Canada in which the Government will continue to tackle crime and strengthen the security of Canadians by reintroducing important crime legislation with the new Tackling Violent Crime Act, and by putting a strong focus on safe communities and youth and property crime.

• A Healthy Environment for Canadians in which the Government will continue to improve the environment and health of Canadians by delivering realistic and achievable results in areas such as environmental enforcement and product and food safety.

“Twenty months ago, Canadians elected a Conservative Government that would set clear goals and deliver concrete results,” explains Benoit. “A Government that would be accountable, that would put Canadians and their families first and that would make life better.

As the Prime Minister stated yesterday, ‘Canadians can be proud of their country and its achievements. Working together, we have built a nation that is prosperous and safe; a country where what matters is who you are and what you do, not who you know or where you’re from; a place where people from around the world can live in harmony; a federation that is more united at home and respected abroad than it has been for decades.’’

“Liberal leader Stephane Dion has admitted that he can’t find a legitimate reason to vote against this plan for Canada,” concludes Benoit. “As a result, during the vote on Wednesday October 24th, this Conservative government expects to receive a green light to continue our work making this country better and stronger. Canadians deserve no less.”

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