Mr.
Chair, the Minister in his
introductory remarks mentioned the investments and the traditional economy and the important role it plays. I thought he had excellent comments there — the role in developing local economies. The value of our traditional economy far exceeds what is evidenced in economic terms or statistics. Further, I appreciate his remarks on the SEED program.
However, we seem, over the eons, not to have successfully focused on developing businesses in these areas, and I think everybody recognizes that we’re now facing an era where there’s increasing costs associated with simply acquiring our basic needs. We find ourselves importing water from Montreal and Hope, B.C. Water that’s even more expensive than gasoline on a per litre basis, and that’s pretty expensive.
These are really opportunities for us to develop our local economies, by meeting some of these needs. But it takes a methodical and focused approach, a
strategic approach. Some of the benefits we can accrue are obviously prevention of the leakage of our financial resources and our skill resources by the import of products from afar and, as I mentioned, the local economic development and the benefits that accrue from self-sufficiency.
So it’s on that basis that I am moving this motion. Thank you.