Kitchener Centre CPC Association Fundraiser

May 25, 2006

Kitchener, Ontario
Check Against Delivery

I am honoured to be in Kitchener Centre tonight, to speak to you, volunteers, members of the local Kitchener CPC Association and supporters of the Conservative Party of Canada. Your hard work and support have contributed greatly to the formation of the new federal government of Canada!

Our Government has had a successful start. As you can imagine, we have been busy correcting the inaction of the previous federal government.

But we like being busy, because we are creating change, for the benefit of you and Canadians across this country.

Our Five Priorities

Our Party’s platform ran on five key priorities, and tonight, I’m happy to tell you we are delivering on those key priorities. We are:

o Bringing accountability back to government;

o Lowering taxes;

o Ensuring Canadians get the health care they have paid for;

o Tackling crime;

o And providing child care choice and support under the Universal Child Care Plan.

As addressed in the Speech from the Throne, our party is committed to immediately addressing these priorities.

Agenda for Change

The Conservative Party is turning a new leaf in Canadian politics.

On January 23, Canadians voiced their concern.

The people of this country wanted change. They were tired of scandals and corruption that benefited the previous government, but plagued hard working Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

On January 23, Canadians across the country wanted change, and they voted for real change. They voted for a party that will put integrity back into the federal government.

Over our first one-hundred days in office, the Conservative Party has clearly delivered on our promise to lead that change.

Our agenda for change restores accountability to government in Ottawa.

Change that will give Canada a stronger presence on the international stage.

Change that will renew federalism in order to build a Canada for all of us.

And change that will guarantee opportunity and prosperity for all Canadians, not just a privileged few.

Accountability

As many of you are aware, the Federal Accountability Act is the first piece of legislation our government has brought forth, and is our first step in delivering what we promised we would do.

This new Act is designed to clean up federal government, holding the Government accountable on behalf of the people of Canada.

It ensures that the $30 billion plus in federal grants, contributions and contracts are awarded fairly and provide value for taxpayers’ money.

And it also ensures that positions of public trust will be carried out in a manner responsible to the public interest – not to further personal pursuits, such as insider lobbying.

We are busy cleaning up a plague that lasted 13 years under the previous federal government.

Under the new Federal Accountability Act, all corporate and union donations to political parties will be banned. We are capping individual donations to federal political parties at a maximum of $1,000 per year.

This new act also gives the Auditor General more power to review federal grants, contributions and contracts and to follow the money to those who received it.

Tax Cuts

Hardworking Canadians deserve a break.

Canada’s New Government believes people across this country are working longer, paying more, and saving less.

Canadians are overtaxed. Over time, our Government’s tax plan will reduce the tax burden on all Canadians.

We have already delivered on our broad-based tax relief for Canadians – a beneficial plan for all Canadians, effective July 1, 2006.

o The GST is one tax every Canadian must pay, no matter how little they make.

o We have immediately cut the GST from 7 per cent to 6 per cent – and will eventually reduce this further, to 5 per cent.

o Everyone wins.

This plan will leave Canadians with a little more money left over, helping them save for family expenses and cover the costs for the necessities of life.

Health Care

Canadian tax dollars support our public health insurance system, so why do Canadians often find themselves waiting too long to receive essential care?

This is not right. Canadians deserve to receive the health care they have paid for.

Canada’s New National Government is working with provinces and territories to establish a patient wait times guarantee for medically necessary services. Under this guarantee, all Canadians will receive essential medical treatment within clinically acceptable waiting times.

We recognize that innovation is required to create a timely and sustainable health care system.

The Government will support innovative approaches to health care delivery, consistent with the principles of the Canada Health Act, which holds a universally equitable and accessible health care system in the highest esteem.

Confronting Crime

One of our five priorities is to tackle crime.

Safety has always been a top concern in Canadian communities.

However, our safe streets and healthy communities are unfortunately coming under the threat of gun, gang and drug violence.

This is why we will have proposed changes to the Criminal Code to invoke stiffer sentences for violent and repeat offenders.

Our government recognizes that it is important to prevent criminal behaviour before it has a chance to develop.

o The government will work with the provinces and territories to provide opportunities and hope for our youth.

o We believe in working with communities so that we can end the cycle of violence, which so often leads to broken lives and broken communities.

o We also believe in putting more police on the street in order to prevent crime.

Child Care and Support

Helping families raise their children is the most important investment we can make to this country.

Canada’s New Government understands that no two families are alike, and we recognize that strong families ensure a bright future for Canada.

We are making a commitment to Canadian parents, offering direct financial assistance to support parents’ individual child care choices.

We will also support parents as they seek to balance work and family life by encouraging the creation of new child care spaces.

o Our Government is encouraging collaboration between provinces and territories, employers and community non-profit organizations.

Budget 2006

On May 2, The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, presented Canadians with a balanced federal budget.

The budget focuses on federal spending to key priority areas, significantly cuts taxes and pays down debt.

Budget priorities and federal expenditures include:

o $1.5 billion more this year for agriculture.

o $1.4 billion more this year for policing, border security and public safety.

o $3.7 billion over two years for the new $1,200 Universal Child Care Benefit.

o $1.1 billion over two years to rebuild the Armed Forces.

Our budget offers more tax relief than the previous four budgets combined. Our budget delivers $20 billion in tax relief over two years.

Key tax measures include:

o Broad-based income tax relief

o Targeted tax measures to help Canadians with the cost of:

 Transit passes.
 Textbooks.
 Tools.
 Kids’ sports.

This is a balanced budget, specifically committing $3 billion per year in debt paydown.

Conclusion

Ladies and Gentlemen, Canada’s new national government is bringing accountability back to Ottawa.

The days of greed and corruption have been replaced by integrity and accountability.

This is a commitment that we made to all Canadians during the election, a trust that has been proven over the first one-hundred days as Government.

The Conservative Party has delivered a balanced budget and established the Accountability Act. We will continue to honour our commitment to Canadians and intend to hold true to our, “promises made, promises kept”.

Thank you very much.