2011 was a year that ended with many historic changes around the world that few would have predicted some 12 months ago.
We saw great economic and political uncertainty across the world continue with the European sovereign debt crisis, Arab spring and the political gridlock in the United States.
While almost no country was left untouched by the events, we did see a wide spectrum of responses. We saw peaceful protests, democratic elections, 11th-hour multi-lateral meetings, riots in the streets and in extreme cases, states killing their own citizens, many of whom were only calling for political reform and greater economic freedom.
Closer to home, few would have predicted a majority government in Canada; in the May 2 election we saw a tremendous amount of turnover.
In the recent local elections, there too was a lot of turnover.
The ongoing global economic turmoil, continued challenges with unemployment and poverty have given rise to political unrest and also served as a catalyst for movements and protests throughout North America.
There is also one other common denominator that is often overlooked and that is great importance for governments of all levels to spend within their means, and at the same time, to continue to create policy that supports jobs and a strong economy.
These two tangibles are connected and yet too often they are treated as isolated and separate entities.
In my travels as an MP some facts have become clear.
When it comes to the spending of your tax dollars on programs, services and administration, there is no shortage of ideas on how more money can be spent. Yet when it comes to dealing with the private sector, the businesses who ultimately are the employers that drive our local economies.
At times government, in response to interest groups, support policy and initiatives that sometimes impede and restrict the private sector’s ability to generate the jobs and investment we need to support our social programs.
Most would agree that creating manufacturing jobs in Canada as opposed to overseas is an important goal that is beneficial for our economic prosperity.
However to meet those objectives it is critical that Canada have an infrastructure network that allows manufacturers to efficiently and easily move goods from their factories’ doors direct to marketplaces where an effective financial return can be realized.
In each community in our region where I have visited our largest and higher paying private sector employers, all depend on the smooth movement of goods across borders, whether they are provincial or international.
Our government has recently entered into some agreements with the United States government in respect to Canada-US border relations.
Likewise improvements to roads, the construction of bridges, elimination of the Canadian wheat board, tax credits for small business to encourage hiring and capital equipment tax credits for large business are all initiatives designed to create investment and jobs.
On the other end, our government has also been undertaking a spending review in Ottawa.
Reviewing spending, consolidation and programs like Shared Services Canada have already helped reduce our deficit by over $22 billion in 2011, a 40 per cent reduction over last year.
At the same time we have been able to implement the largest increase to the Guaranteed Income Supplement in 25 years and help close to 700,000 retired seniors. Our Government has also remained opposed to former federal Liberal Bill C-428 that would have paid these benefits to newly arrived immigrants.
Legislation has also been introduced for a new $2,000 Family Caregiver Tax Credit to assist caregivers of infirm dependent relatives and also a new Children’s Arts Tax Credit of up to $500 per child for eligible fees associated with children’s artistic, cultural, recreational and developmental activities is soon to be supporting families.
For 2012, looking ahead we must continue to support investment and the creation of jobs in order to maintain and enhance our special quality of life we enjoy as Canadians.
It may take hard work to get where we want to go, but one unique quality about our country is that when we collectively resolve to accomplish something or contribute somewhere, we do it and never let hard work get in the way.
Dan Albas is the Member of Parliament for Okanagan- Coquihalla and can be contacted at dan.albas@parl.gc.ca.