Throughout our riding communities are gearing-up for the Olympic Torch Relay. It will be passing through the Crowfoot constituency from January 15-19 and you will have the opportunity to see it in Beiseker, Irricana, Rosedale, Strathmore, Three Hills and Trochu. There will be formal Olympic Torch Relay ceremonies: January 15 in Camrose; January 16 in Drumheller; and January 19 in Chestermere.
Approximately 90 per cent of Canada’s population will be within a one-hour drive of the Olympic Torch during the relay. It is in our riding for four days because our riding covers such a large geographic area.
This will be an appetizer to the big event that is now less than a month away. Everywhere we can see opportunities being offered to attend the Olympics, some with full-day schedule packages.
The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay began on Oct. 30 and will have travelled over 45,000 kilometres when it arrives at the opening ceremony and signals the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games on Feb. 12. We are fortunate to live relatively close and I encourage everyone to try and attend.
While all Canadians are looking forward to the 2010 Olympics, in June this year, the world will again be focusing attention on our nation. The world’s eight leading industrialized nations, the G8, will meet in Huntsville, Ontario followed immediately by the G20 Summit in Toronto. The global economic downturn will dominate talks by the leaders of these countries. All of these nations already admire Canada’s strong economic fundamentals, the strength of our banking and credit systems, and other features that have served us well during the global economic crisis.
In fact, many of the member countries of the G20 dealing with the effects of the global recession on their own economies have been looking closely at Canada’s performance. They are interested in incorporating our economic and financial ways and means as they try to move forward. Once again Canada is playing a major role as other nations see that we have been spared a large measure of the economic devastation taking place elsewhere in the world.
Our government remains diligent monitoring the global recession’s effects within our borders. The next phase of our Economic Action Plan will launch following the Vancouver Olympic Games, with the Throne Speech to be read on March 2, and a new budget to follow a day later.
The third session of the 40th Parliament will need to sharpen the focus on the top priority of Canadians and our government: the national economy. The three economic themes of the new session will be: completing implementation of the Economic Action Plan, returning the federal budget to balance once the economy has recovered, and building Canada’s economy of the future.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or previous columns you may write me at 4945-50th Street, Camrose, Alberta, T4V 1P9, call 780-608-4600, toll-free 1-800-665-4358, fax 780-608-4603 or e-mail sorenk1@parl.gc.ca.