Constituents who attended the seventeen town hall accountability sessions I hosted over the past weeks told me what they hoped to see in this federal budget, and our government has delivered.

They called for a plan to balance the budget and we have delivered.

They advised me not to back off on the stimulus too soon, and we took that advice.

They asked me to focus on families and fixing the justice system and I listened, and our Government listened.

Canada was drawn into the deepest global recession since the 1930s, but we entered it in much better shape than the rest of the industrialized world. The government prudently regulated our financial system to make it the most sound in the world. Since taking office in 2006, this government reduced taxes and aggressively paid down debt so that today, even after the effects of the recession, Canada boasts the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7.

This sensible approach allowed us to take the extraordinary, short-term measures necessary in Canada’s Economic Action Plan to protect Canadians during the recession.

Our Plan is working. More than 135,000 new jobs have been created since July, and 16,000 infrastructure projects have begun laying the foundation for long-termeconomic growth. We are seeing the signs of economic recovery. However, the economy remains fragile. Too many Canadians are still looking for work.
That is why this year’s budget is a Jobs and Growth budget. It builds on Canada’s Economic Action Plan to solidify our recovery. In Year 2 of the plan, we are investing $19-billion to stimulate our economy and complete the rapid rollout of stimulus projects to create jobs now.

For example, the Action Plan invests in the paving of Highway 801:02 from Highway 661 to North of Long Island Park Access Road; the repair and replacement of the wastewater distribution mains in the Town of Sedgewick; and the construction of the Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary.

We are laying a strong foundation for long-term job creation and economic growth by investing in innovation, training and education. We are also sustaining Canada’s competitive advantage by lowering taxes, eliminating all remaining tariffs on manufacturing inputs and cutting red tape for small businesses.
For example, Alberta will benefit from the $135-million provided over two years to sustain the National Research Council’s regional innovation clusters, which currently includes support for the Nanotechnology cluster located in Edmonton.

Alberta communities and businesses will also benefit from the $14.7-million per year in ongoing funding for Western Economic Diversification for activities to support commercialization, enhance global competitiveness and drive economic growth and development in communities in western Canada.

This budget also delivers $11-million per year for Alberta’s 27 Community Futures organizations through WED, to increase the vitality of communities and help small and medium-sized businesses and communities to enhance their competitiveness.

Like all other industrialized countries, Canada incurred a deficit to implement its stimulus package. Once the economic recovery is solidly entrenched, our government will move forward on a plan to reduce the deficit and move back toward budgetary balance.

Our deficit reduction plan has three key points. First, we will wind down our stimulus spending as planned and on schedule. Second, we will restrain growth in government spending in specific areas. And third, we will undertake a comprehensive review of government spending on overhead and administration.

We will not balance the budget at the expense of pensioners. We will not balance the budget by cutting transfer payments for health care and education or by raising taxes on hard-working Canadians. For Alberta, transfers total $4.2-billion in 2010-11, an increase of $88-million from last year and almost $1.8-billion since 2005-06.

Our plan will cut the deficit in half in two years and by two-thirds in three years. Shortly after that, the budget will be brought back fully to balance.
And it is not just me saying this budget is a good one. Virtually all of the expert analysts have agreed that it is a job well done by our government. In fact, it seems that only the Opposition parties and their representatives oppose it and even that opposition is weak.

Canadians athletes showed the world their tenacity and competitive spirit at the Olympics. They are Canada’s inspiration as millions of Canadians step up to the world’s economic podium and prove we are open for business as we build today, a Canada in which our children and grandchildren will surpass us.

Note from Leon:  Thank you to all who participated in my town halls – your input was essential and appreciated. My heartfelt thanks as well to all those who helped organize and host the numerous meetings. We have a solid, conservative, federal budget as a result of your efforts.