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Canada needs change to a new government – a new government that will bring accountability to Ottawa and will get on with addressing the real priorities of ordinary working people and their families. Priorities like cleaning up government, cutting the GST, and cracking down on crime. Priorities that will move Canada and British Columbia forward after 12 years of scandal and inaction.
On January 23rd, has the opportunity to move forward as part of a new government and to achieve its full potential as our window on the Pacific.
Today, I want to talk to you about our platform for British Columbia announced earlier in Victoria. It is called standing up for B.C. Standing up for B.C. is more than a slogan - it’s our commitment to the people of this province.
Let me focus on one part of our economic package – the Pacific Gateway strategy.
The province of British Columbia has identified the Pacific Gateway initiative as its number one economic development priority. Cette initiative permettrait a la Colombie-Britannique de tirer pleinement profit de l’expansion rapide du commerce dans la zone de l’Asie-pacifique, et d’offrir des installations de transport ultra-modernes.
The Pacific Gateway initiative would allow British Columbia to provide state-of-art transportation facilities in order to take full advantage of the expected rapid expansion of Asia-Pacific trade.
Now that we’re into an election, you will hear a lot of talk about the Pacific Gateway initiative from the Martin government. Let me tell you, a new government under my leadership will actually do what the present government has so far only talked about.
The current government only found funding for the gateway in the dying days before they knew they were facing a non-confidence vote. We will make sure that all the money promised actually gets delivered – and we won’t insist on having it distributed by a patronage board run from Ottawa.
Un élément essential a la réussite de toute l’initiative de porte d’entrée du pacifique sera l’aménagement des installations portuaires a Prince Rupert.
The development of the port facilities here in Prince Rupert are an integral part of the future success of the entire Pacific Gateway initiative. We need to develop facilities in Prince Rupert to handle increased volumes of natural resources exports and containerized imports.
That is why I am pleased to announce the measures we will take to ensure the success of the Pacific Gateway initiative and the future of Prince Rupert:
- We will deliver at least the five-year federal funding commitment of $591 million for the Pacific Gateway initiative - and expand those commitments in the future, including those for the Port of Prince Rupert;
- We will proceed with phase I funding for the containerization of the Fairview terminal, and we will make phase II funding and related rail and road links a priority for future infrastructure funding;
- We will create an investment, regulatory, and security environment for our Western ports to handle dramatically higher Pacific trade. This could involve direct federal funding for ports and the removal of borrowing limits for port authorities; and
- We will work to expand trade agreements with Japan and India and other democratic trade partners in the Asia-Pacific region.
These are the measures we will undertake to ensure that the future is assured for the Port of Prince Rupert, other ports on the West coast, and the Pacific Gateway as a whole.
Let me also tell you one thing we are not going to do.
We are not going to allow the government’s fire sale of the Ridley terminal to an Ontario company. We are going suspend this deal and give it a very close look. We will make sure this deal is thoroughly investigated.
The Prince Rupert terminals will be part of Canada’s Pacific Gateway – not a plaything for government insiders. This is a British Columbia asset, and it needs a British Columbia solution, not an Ottawa solution.
Ladies and gentlemen, the choice in the next election is clear. If you want change, if you want attention, if you want to shake up Ottawa, then your choice – your only choice – is to give us more B.C. Conservative MP’s and help us elect a new government.
If we are elected, we won’t just talk about B.C. issues at election time – we will act.
If you want a government that will stand up for communities like Prince Rupert, and stand up for British Columbia, then we need a new government in Ottawa.
So on January 23rd, let’s stand up for change.
Stand up for B.C. and stand up for Canada.
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For further information: Conservative Party Press Office (613) 755-2191
