Did You Know...? - Edition 5

August 21, 2009

That…Canada’s Economic Action Plan invests $1.9 billion on Aboriginal and Northern priority issues! Effectively responding to Canada's global challenges must include focusing on both the short-term and long-term challenges facing Aboriginal and Northern Canadians.  Our Conservative Government is committed to focusing on priorities so that Aboriginal and Northern Canadians can play an even greater role in the Canadian economy.

That…Budget 2009 continues the implementation of the Government's vision for a new North with new measures that will protect and secure Canada's sovereignty and create more economic opportunities in the North. These include $87 million over two years to support the Government's commitment to Arctic Science, $50 million over five years to support economic development in the North through the creation of a new regional economic development agency for the North and $90 million over five years for a renewed Strategic Initiative for Northern Economic Development.

That…Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on August 18th, 2009 the creation of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, fulfilling a key commitment contained in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. It will be headquartered in Iqaluit, with district offices located in Whitehorse and Yellowknife.  The new agency will fulfill the same role as Canada’s existing regional development agencies, including co-ordination and delivery of federal economic development activities at the regional level and policy, research and advocacy. 

That...Your Conservative Government is delivering a comprehensive restructuring plan for pork producers by investing in key marketing initiatives to get more customers buying Canadian pork, providing government-backed credit to help viable operations weather the current economic uncertainty and helping struggling operations to transition out of the industry.

That…Measures of the restructuring plan for pork producers include an International Pork Marketing Fund of $17 million for eligible market research, promotion and access initiatives to find new customers for Canadian pork products.  This also includes long-term loans with government-backed credit that financial institutions can offer to allow viable hog operations to restructure their businesses and a Hog Farm Transition Program to allow producers to tender bids for the amount of funding they need to transition out of the hog industry and cease hog production for at least three years. This program will invest up to $75 million to gradually reduce production and oversupply issues.