Fri 5 Dec 2008
Yesterday’s agreement by the Governor-General to accept Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s request for a political time out in Ottawa was the right decision for Canada.
It was surely not an easy choice for the Governor-General to make, but right now the focus must be squarely on the elephant in the room — the global economic crisis and Canada’s response to it.
On Oct. 14, Stephen Harper’s Conservative government was returned to office with the clear task of leading the country through the most difficult economic situation in decades. The suggestion has been made that it has taken no action since then to formulate a plan to confront the economic crisis. Clearly that is not the case.
Canada, in concert with other nations, is acting to stimulate the economy. The federal government has said it intends to reduce personal and business taxes. It is increasing spending on infrastructure. It has attempted to free up credit for businesses and consumers by injecting liquidity into financial markets. It has promised action to secure pension plans and is looking at incentives for manufacturers, the forestry sector and others.
The Prime Minister also met with Canada’s premiers in advance of the recent G20 meeting in Washington, and has committed to meeting with us again on Jan. 16. In addition, there will be a meeting of federal, provincial and territorial finance ministers in Saskatoon in mid-December: all in preparation for a federal budget scheduled for the end of January.
Derailing that process at this critical time would have had serious consequences. It would have hampered a co-ordinated attempt by Canada’s governments to mitigate the impact of the most serious economic downturn in at least a generation. It would have triggered a period of political turmoil and uncertainty that our country cannot afford.
We now have an opportunity to do what’s right for Canadians and concentrate on measures to blunt the impact of the economic downturn, and ensure our country returns to economic health as quickly as possible.
Clearly, this is an international economic crisis and to suggest any Canadian government has the power to simply make it disappear would be foolish. As a nation dependent on exports for our prosperity we are vulnerable to global economic shifts — particularly as they impact our largest trading partner, the United States.
However, in adversity there is always opportunity. So in addition to mitigating the impact of this downturn, it is clear to me that our focus must be on measures that will support a sustained recovery and the long-term prosperity of Canadians.
Canada’s return to economic health cannot be funded entirely by government deficits. We need economic growth. We need to support an economy that is more productive and competitive.
For example, together with my colleagues from British Columbia and Saskatchewan, Alberta has championed the cause of free trade within our country — removing the internal trade barriers that reduce our competitiveness and add billions to the cost of doing business in Canada.
The federal government and all provinces now agree this must be a priority, and Alberta will work to ensure the momentum continues.
Collectively, Canada’s political leadership needs to find the courage to move beyond rhetoric and regionalism and position our country for a return to prosperity and growth. We must be united in that goal.
As the engine of Canada’s economic growth in these difficult times, Alberta will gladly do its part to support initiatives that make us more productive and competitive and lead to a sustained economic recovery. We will not support policies that divide us and unfairly target particular regions and industries.
Against that background, yesterday’s decision was clearly the right one for our country. It provides an opportunity for all federal political leaders to park their egos and work together in the national interest.
National Post
Ed Stelmach is the Premier of Alberta.
