Sainte-Marie, QC – Maxime Bernier, Conservative Member of Parliament for Beauce, launched his campaign for the Leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada earlier today. At a rally in Ste-Marie, QC a large crowd came out to see Mr. Bernier deliver his vision for Canada.

Joining Mr. Bernier were his National Campaign Co-Chairs John Reynolds and Jacques Gourde and Fundraising Committee Chair Alex Nuttall. Bernard Généreux, Quebec caucus chair was also on hand.

Concurrently with the launch, Mr. Bernier’s campaign website [maximebernier.com] and social media presence [https://www.facebook.com/hon.maximebernier/] was unveiled.

The campaign is officially registered with the Conservative Party of Canada and Elections Canada and is considered official for purposes of signing-up members, taking donations and participating fully in all leadership events.

Maxime Bernier: “Imagine a country where these principles of freedom, responsibility, fairness and respect are the basis of all political decisions. I am going to fight for this ideal, with passion and conviction. I know that I can convince a majority of Conservatives, and a majority of Canadians, to support this vision. That’s what I’m going to do over the next twelve months. That’s why I want to become the leader of the Conservative Party.”

John Reynolds PC, Campaign Co-Chair: “To fight Justin Trudeau, the Conservative Party will have to become more competitive in Quebec. This logic is undeniable. And just as he will take Trudeau on in Quebec, he will take him on in the Atlantic, in Ontario, on the Prairies, out in British Columbia and up in the North.”

Jacques Gourde MP, Campaign Co-Chair: “Maxime’s dynamism is infectious. We need him as leader of our party in order to give new impetus to conservative ideas while remaining firmly faithful to it.”

Alex Nuttall MP, Fund-Raising Committee Chair: “Canadians deserve hope and unbridled opportunity. With Maxime’s principles of freedom, personal responsibility, and fairness that is what Canadians will get.”

Published on May 14, 2016

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

STE-MARIE, QUÉBEC

SUNDAY, MAY 15TH, 2016

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY
(Sentences in italics were in French in the spoken version)

Dear friends,

Dear friends from Beauce,

Dear friends who travelled to be here with us today,

Dear friends who are watching from all across Canada. Good morning.

Today, I begin the most important race of my life!

As you know, I am a runner. This is one of my passions.

My first race in politics began more than ten years ago, on December 6, 2005, when I announced that I would be the Conservative candidate to represent the people of Beauce in the Federal Parliament.

You put your trust in me. You elected me, and re-elected me, with some of the largest majorities in Canada. It’s you, the people of Beauce, who gave me my momentum.

Yes, I’m someone who likes to run! Three years ago, with the help of many volunteers who are in this room today, we organized the Great Crossing of the Beauce. I ran 107 kilometres in 13 hours, from south to north of this magnificent riding. We raised $160,000 for our food bank. That’s the spirit of the Beauce!

You are the ones who supported me along the way, in every town and village, even when I wasn’t sure I could finish. And you are the ones who supported me through both good and difficult times over the past ten years. I could not have achieved anything in Ottawa without you.

The Beauce is a place where people take charge of their own lives. The Beauce is a place full of builders and entrepreneurs.

It is thanks to the Beauce values of self-reliance, integrity and entrepreneurship, that I had the moral strength to forge ahead. Universal values, that I learned here while growing up, that I have defended in Ottawa.

This place is where I got my first impulse to run for politics. Today, I am beginning the most important race of my life. You could call it the Great Crossing of Canada! To raise support for a new vision of this country’s future.

A major race is a team effort. To succeed a runner needs the physical and psychological support of many people.

This is why, once again, I will need you. You, all my friends and family in this room. You, Jacques and John, my campaign co-chairs. You, Alex, my fund-raising committee chair. You, my team and volunteers already getting busy in every province. You also, the Conservative supporters in every city, town and village across this great country that I’m going to visit in the coming year.

For the past ten years, I have knocked on almost every door even outside election times, in every corner of the Beauce, to get to know you, to understand your concerns, so that I could better represent you in Parliament.

Over the next twelve months, I will meet as many Canadians as possible, from all regions of the country. But, there are many more doors in Canada! I won’t be able to be here, at home, as much as I would like. I will need all your support. Are you ready for the next leg of this race?

What is this new vision of Canada’s future that I want to share with Canadians, as I travel across the country? It’s based on four key principles: freedom and responsibility, fairness and respect.

The vision of Canada that I want to share with all those Canadians that I will meet during the next couple of months is a vision based on four fundamental principles: freedom and responsibility, fairness and respect.

Freedom is the fundamental Conservative value that draws us together here today. Freedom is nothing less than the basis of our civilization. Only in free societies is there human dignity and equality of rights, social pluralism and cultural dynamism, scientific advancement and economic prosperity.

What made Canada a prosperous country and a great place to live, a country where immigrants from everywhere in the world want to come, is that we have been for a century and a half one of the freest societies in the world.

Some people fear freedom because they believe it means freedom to do anything you want. But that’s not what freedom is about. To be free you must take responsibility for your actions and respect the freedom of others.

Freedom and responsibility are inseparable principles. Freedom is the fundamental value that unites us, Conservatives. It is the basis of our civilization. It is what made Canada one of the most prosperous countries on the planet.

Unfortunately, government never stops growing and diminishing our freedom. We work for six months every year to feed this government. And it’s not enough for Justin Trudeau’s irresponsible government, who will burden future generations to the tune of 100-billion dollars over the next five years to pay for new spending, even if we are not in a recession.

Government keeps growing, and our freedom keeps shrinking. We can barely do anything nowadays without having to ask a bureaucrat for permission, as if we were irresponsible children.

Today, almost half of all economic activity is controlled by the state. Half of your salaries are disappearing in taxes. You work almost six months every year to fund spending by federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Government is getting so big that it has to force future generations to pay for its current programs, even when we are not in a recession. The new Liberal government in Ottawa will need to borrow $110 billion over the coming years to fund all its new programs. And the worst thing is, this government is proud of it! They are proud of their irresponsible actions!

A big government is a government that diminishes our freedom and treats us like irresponsible children.

A big government is a government that is itself irresponsible and spends money it doesn’t have.

There are five parties represented in Canada’s Parliament. Four believe that government should get bigger. Only one, the Conservative Party, trusts you to be in charge of your life.

Another problem with big government is that it is fundamentally, irrevocably unfair.

A big government takes money from a small entrepreneur here in Ste-Marie-de-Beauce to give it to a big corporation run by millionaires who can afford lobbyists in Ottawa. Is that fair?

A big government forces citizens to be content with inefficient government services by preventing private alternatives to emerge. Is that fair?

A big government forces consumers to pay more for goods and services by protecting industries from competition and creating barriers to trade. Is that fair?

A big government crushes private initiative and the dreams of young entrepreneurs by creating barriers to entry and making capital scarce. Is that fair?

A big government reduces opportunities for everyone by killing job creation with excessive taxes and regulation. Is that fair?

The more a government pretends to solve problems with these reckless policies, the more injustice, inequality and unfairness it creates.

A government that tramples our freedoms, a government that spends our money irresponsibly, a government that treats us unfairly, is a government that does not respect us. The least we can expect from our government is respect!

The other key principle that I want to discuss with Canadians, as I travel the country during the next 12 months, is respect.

The Liberals want to create a new program, a new regulation or a new tax to solve every problem. They believe they have the solution to everything, and they want to decide what is good for us with our own money.

What I want to offer is a government that will respect the choices that Canadians make. A government that will reduce spending and allow Canadians to make their own choices.

The Liberals want to increase the size of government, and the size of the public debt. They want your children, and grandchildren, to pay for their irresponsible decisions.

What I want to offer is a government that will respect taxpayers, that will respect future generations. A government that will eliminate the deficit, pay down the debt and reduce taxes for everyone.

The Liberals want to intervene on health care, on education, on daycare services, on municipal infrastructures. Their vision of Canada is that everything should be controlled from Ottawa.

What I want to offer is a government that respects the Constitution, that respects the division of power, that respects provinces. A government that respects our history and our diversity.

Imagine a country where these principles of freedom, responsibility, fairness and respect are the basis of all political decisions. I want to fight for this ideal, with passion and conviction.

We have the best ideas. We have the best solutions to make Canada a freer and more prosperous country. We have to defend them openly, with passion and with conviction.

I know that I can convince a majority of Conservatives, and a majority of Canadians, to support this vision. That’s what I’m going to do over the next twelve months. That’s why I want to become the leader of the Conservative Party.

Friends, my next race begins now! Let’s lace up! It is a long road ahead and I need you all again to give me the momentum to carry me across the whole country, all the way to the finish line. With victory in our hands.

Let’s go! 

Published on May 12, 2016

Maxime Bernier, minister of State, Small Business and Tourism, Agriculture
Manning Networking Conference
March 7, 2015, Ottawa

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Thank you Catherine for those kind words. And also a big thanks to the Manning Centre for inviting me.

This is such an amazing opportunity to meet like-minded friends from across the country and to recharge our batteries with lots of good ideas from the best minds in the conservative movement.

I hope you have been taking advantage of the conference, because this year is a crucial year for our country.

It will be a time for choosing: stability or uncertainty… a consolidation of the gains we have achieved over the past several years, which have made Canada one of the soundest economies in the world… or gambling with superficially appealing but reckless policies.

This is the choice that Canadians will have to make before the end of the year, and we have to make sure that it will be clear in everyone’s mind what kind of policies are best for Canadians.

But before we get into this debate, I want to rewind the tape a little bit. I want to talk about the “coolest” decade of the 20^th Century: the 1970s!! You remember the 1970s?

I think I can spot some people in this room who are old enough like me to remember the 1970s: the decade of disco! With Donna Summer, the Bee Gees and Saturday Night Fever. The decade of men in jumpsuits with long hair! Can you imagine me like that?!!

On the economic front, it was not cool! It was the decade of stagflation: economic stagnation with inflation. The decade of big deficits and huge debt. The decade of the National Energy Program. The decade when the federal government was growing like wildfire. The decade when we had all these brilliant federal politicians and bureaucrats who were not busy enough running the federal government; they also wanted to run the provinces.

The decade of federal intervention in health care and education. The decade of centralisation and nationalisation. The decade when, partly in reaction to that federal activism, Separatism in Québec grew and grew, when the PQ became the official opposition in 1970, formed the government in 1976 and held its first referendum in 1980.

I can feel a wave of nostalgia in the room for that blessed period! Yes, the 1970s: the decade of Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

Under Pierre Trudeau, total government spending went from $13 billion to $109 billion, and from 17% of GDP to 24%! Our national debt went from 25% of GDP in 1968 to 43% in 1984. That’s what they called “progress” back then.

As I told you this year is a time for choosing. Canadians will have to make an important decision. They will have to decide if they want to live in the 21^st century or if they want to go back to the Trudeau years. Does anyone here want to relive those days? No! No but, that’s where the leader of the Liberal Party, Justin Trudeau, wants to take us.

Ok, Ok some people might think, it is unfair to compare Justin Trudeau with his father and to burden him with the record of his father. After all, is he not his own person?

Well, I’m not the one who created the Trudeau “mystique”. I’m not the one who made the connection in the first place. And, if he is so different from Pierre, then why did Liberals elect him to lead their Party? Tell me?

Is it because of his vast political experience? No.
Is it because of his deep understanding of how the economy works? No.
Is it because of his amazing leadership qualities? No.
Is it because of his original insights in how to keep our country united? No, and you are right!

They elected him because he is a Trudeau! They elected him because they miss the Trudeau years of the 70s and they cherish that legacy. They elected him because they want to go back to that golden age of liberalism and they want to bring back his father’s policies.

So, what kind of choice are we talking about? Over the past nine years, there has been a clear political trend in Quebec: Support for separatism has been steadily going down. There are various explanations for that, but one thing is certain: under our government, Quebecers have had constitutional peace.

Our government respects the Constitution. We respect the division of power and we respect the autonomy of the provinces. That is why there is no appetite for separation in Quebec. It is why Quebecers are happy and proud to be Canadian.

Now, what can we expect if Justin Trudeau becomes Prime Minister? We got a taste of that at the Liberal Convention a year ago, when delegates discussed a whole set of “national strategies” on issues ranging from transportation to energy, mental health, children, water, pharmacare, youth jobs and science.

This is the model of a federal government intervening in our day to day life and meddling in provincial jurisdictions, a model that Justin Trudeau is proposing once again. The same old policies his father pursued 40 years ago.

In his speeches and interviews, Trudeau keeps saying that education is important. We know that education is important – but education is a provincial jurisdiction.

What he wants is to interfere in provincial matters. With that vision of Canada, we will not have constitutional peace in Quebec. A Justin Trudeau government will be destabilizing for our national unity, just like a Pierre Trudeau government was.

Canadians will have a clear choice between us, the Conservatives, respecting the Constitution and provincial jurisdictions and the Liberals creating a bunch of so-called “national programs” with money that we don’t have.

If we continue to do what we’re doing, we won’t have a constitutional crisis in Canada. But if we get a Trudeau government in power that starts to centralize the country, without respecting the Constitution, we can safely predict that separatism in Quebec will rise again.

One of our government’s most spectacular achievements is the reduction of the tax burden on Canadian taxpayers. The ratio of government revenue to GDP is at its lowest level in more than 50 years, at just 14%.

I repeat: The lowest in more than 50 years. Before you-know-who came to power in 1968. That means that the average Canadian family pays $3400 less in taxes today than under the previous Liberal government.

Justin Trudeau promises to reverse this trend. He wants to take back the tax cuts that we gave you. We want to shrink the government to give you back your freedom. But the Liberals want to shrink your paycheck and take away your freedom.

The Liberals are very clear as to what is their priority: not cutting taxes but spending more to stimulate the economy. Justin Trudeau and his Finance critic, Scott Brison, have repeatedly refused to rule out running a deficit again for many more years if they are elected. Doesn’t it sound like “déjà vu”?

Justin Trudeau keeps uttering one economic absurdity after another. Get this: When he reacted to our government’s budget last year, he said there is no need to worry about the deficit. We should aim rather at stimulating the economy, and as he put it: “the budget will balance itself.” For Mr. Trudeau, the more a government spends, the more it stimulates the economy, the more its revenues will grow, and the less we need to worry about the deficit. So, let’s spend our way to prosperity!

No, seriously, Canadians know that if we all spend more than we have, we won’t get richer. It’s called living beyond our means.

One has to wonder then, why the deficit and debt exploded in the 1970s, when his father implemented this type of irresponsible economic policy. Perhaps he wasn’t spending enough?

At the last Liberal convention, delegates heard Larry Summers, an American economist, explain why we need “unconventional support policies”. This is economic jargon for “spending without restraint.” According to him, accumulating more debt is ok when it serves to stimulate the economy.

We all know that: more spending and more borrowing will not act as an economic stimulus but rather as an economic sedative, because less money will be available for the private sector and it is only private sector entrepreneurs who create wealth.

In a video released last year, Justin Trudeau explained that households and provincial governments are heavily indebted, while the federal government has considerably lowered its debt level since the 1990s. So, according to Mr. Trudeau, Ottawa is the only entity that “has room” to rack up more debt. Therefore, it should “step up” and spend more to stimulate the economy.

This is like a couple who have racked up a large amount of consumer debt. They check their three credit cards bills and the husband says to his wife: “Eh! We’ve reached our limit on these two cards but we still have some credit left on this third one. We can get richer if we max out this one too! Let’s go shopping!” Can you imagine a more absurd economic policy?

Mr. Trudeau seems to forget that it’s the same taxpayer who will have to pay back the debts of both levels of government, provincial and federal, as well as his own.

Our government has taken control of the debt. The debt to GDP ratio is at 33%. That is the best performance of all G7 countries. Our plan is to bring that to 25 %. The debt is not something abstract. Servicing the debt costs taxpayers about $30 billion a year. This is as much money as the GST brings into government coffers.

The more we cut down the size of the debt, the fewer resources we will need to pay the interest and the more we will be able to afford to cut yours taxes.

Justin Trudeau and his American adviser still believe in the old Keynesian theory that says governments can create wealth by spending more money. But when the government injects money into the economy where does it come from? It is not falling from the sky!

In reality, every time the government takes an additional dollar in taxes out of someone’s pocket, it’s a dollar that person will not be able to spend or invest. When government spending goes up, private spending goes down. There is no wealth creation.

Government borrowing has the same effect. The private lenders who lend money to the government will have less money to lend to private businesses. When government borrowing and spending go up, private borrowing and spending go down. There is no wealth creation.

It is like taking a bucket of water from the deep end of a swimming pool and emptying it in the shallow end. Nothing happens! It’s these kinds of policies that ruined our economy in the 1970s.

Prosperity comes not from government spending but from entrepreneurs investing. To stimulate the economy, we need to give entrepreneurs the means to create wealth.

We need to put in place the best possible conditions to allow the private sector to become more productive: By curtailing public spending, cutting taxes, reducing the burden of regulation, and signing free-trade agreements. Growth and progress depend on economic freedom through less government intervention.

More government spending is not the answer to our social and economic challenges. The task is not to reinvent government. The task is to limit government.

The Liberals want a bigger government because they elevate the government and downgrade the citizens. We, Conservatives, want smaller government because ultimately we support individual freedom and personal responsibility. We have faith in people. We have faith that you have the ability, the dignity and the right to make your own decisions and determine your own destiny.

This is a time for choosing: Uncertainty, with more spending, more deficits, more debt and less economic growth and a bigger government with constitutional fights under Justin Trudeau and the Liberals. Or stability, with a steady economic hand, a balanced budget, lower taxes, constitutional peace and more freedom under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. In my mind, the choice is very clear.

Thank you! Merci!

Published on May 12, 2016

Maxime Bernier, MP for Beauce

Manning Centre Conference
Ottawa, February 27, 2016

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Dear friends, good afternoon. It’s nice to see everyone here today.

Let me get right to the question we were asked: if I decide to run, how will I do it?

The answer is very clear in my mind: I will run a campaign based on substance and ideas. The whole reason I’m in politics is to defend and promote conservative values. I grew up with these conservative values, they are who I am.

I am from Beauce, a region that is well known as the most entrepreneurial in Quebec. This is where I learned the values that go with entrepreneurship: individual freedom, personal responsibility, integrity, and self-reliance.

But of course, these are also universal values – values that are at the core of Western civilization. Values that have made this country prosperous and a great place to live.

There is a large constituency for these small-government principles. Many people who don’t necessarily consider themselves conservative and who did not vote for us are fed up with a big government overborrowing and overspending. A big government trying to manage our lives from the cradle to the grave. And we can safely bet they will be even more fed up four years from now!

However, I find that we conservatives have not always been keen on openly defending these small-government principles.

Let’s take the issue of corporate subsidies. Free-market economists unanimously decry them as inefficient and a waste of taxpayers’ money. They’re also grossly unfair. They favour some types of businesses at the expense of others. They create a constant demand for government intervention in the economy.

I’m pretty sure that almost everyone in this room understands that instead of handing out government grants, we should reduce taxes and provide a more favourable environment to all businesses. Everyone would benefit.

If there is one conservative economic policy that absolutely everyone should support, this is it.

Yet, during the ten years that we were in power, our government continued to provide billions of dollars in support to businesses. Why? Were we afraid?

It’s not enough to know that a policy is bad. We also have to explain why. Explain it again and again, if we want a majority of Canadians to understand and support the change of policy. Otherwise, we are forced to compromise, to dilute our policies, and contradict our principles.

In every survey, politicians as a group are way down the list in terms of public confidence. I think one reason people are so cynical is that they do not believe us. They don’t see us as defending clear goals and principles. Or acting on these principles.

If we want conservative principles to win the battle, we have to defend them openly, with passion and with conviction. We should not be afraid of saying the hard truths that need to be said.

I am not afraid.

Last November, when Bombardier came knocking at the door of the federal government to ask for another billion dollars in help, I instead proposed to abolish all government subsidies to businesses.

GM in Ontario asked for subsidies at the same time. I also said GM should not be getting any money. I’m willing to say the same thing, whichever company or region is involved.

Several years ago, I was attacked by most of the Quebec political class when I raised the issue of equalization. Quebec has been getting more than half of the money from the equalization program for years. I said to Quebecers I was not proud of that.

I was not afraid to say that to my fellow Quebecers. Because I want us to find a solution to this poor economic performance. Many Quebecers share my concerns. And today, it’s not taboo anymore to raise this issue in Quebec.

But you know what? Manitoba and three Atlantic provinces get even more equalization money per capita than Quebec, and so are even more dependent on Ottawa. Can we say that too?

Instead of beating around the bush, can we be frank and open about the real situation? The point is not to stigmatize some provinces. It is to recognize problems so that we can address them. There is no other way. We must have a relevant discussion about what policies need to be changed to be fair to all parts of our country, and to bring prosperity to all parts of our country.

At a time when Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland-and-Labrador are hurting because of the crash in the oil sector, when the government of Ontario is burdening the country’s largest economy with more taxes and more debt, we can’t afford to be complacent.

We Conservatives have to show everyone that we have solutions. Not solutions involving Ottawa redistributing money from some regions to others. But solutions based on a freer economy, on responsibility and fairness.

If I decide to run, what kind of candidate will I be?

First of all, I will reach out to all Conservative members, to all Canadians. Listen and talk to them dans les deux langues officielles.

One of our colleagues, Kevin O’Leary, said in an interview a couple of weeks ago that he did not need to learn French to become prime minister. He said he’s always been amused by politicians who take French classes and try to speak French in Quebec City when everybody answers them in English.

Well, Kevin, when you go to restaurants and tourist places in Quebec City, of course, people will answer in English. As they do in Amsterdam, Vienna and Rome. They want your business! It doesn’t mean you can govern Italy without speaking Italian.

When I visit every region of our great country, it won’t be as a tourist.

I want to be a unifying candidate.

Quebec was the bright spot for our party in the last election. It was the only province where we increased our number of seats, from five to twelve. But there are 66 more seats to contest. And I know I can sell conservative ideas to Quebecers and also to all Canadians.

Many years ago, a journalist described me as “the Albertan from Quebec” because I sounded like a Western Conservative, despite my bad accent in English.

But there is actually no such thing as a Western Conservative or a Quebec or an Atlantic Canada Conservative. There are only Conservatives.

If I decide to run, it will be to reaffirm that only the Conservative Party of Canada can insure that we will be a secure, stable and prosperous country.

But I also want to fire up the imagination of Canadians with how much more free, dynamic, and successful we could become if we applied conservative values more consistently.

That’s how I will do it if I decide to run…

Thank you.

Donate!

Published on May 12, 2016

Maxime Bernier, MP for Beauce

Conservative Futures
Barrie, Ontario, March 19, 2016

Thank you very much Alex for organizing this exciting conference and for inviting me.

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It’s a great pleasure to meet again so many Conservative friends from Ontario. And to share this stage with my esteemed colleagues. It’s interesting to see that the number of “future Conservative leaders” keeps going up. We Conservatives like competition, don’t we!

So, to get to the topic of today’s conference: How we can ensure that Conservatives have a bright future? And that the future in Canada is Conservative?

It’s obviously very important to defend the values of individual freedom and responsibility, the principles of small government and free markets.

You know that I am a big fan of these ideas. I have been fighting for them for many years and I will continue to do so. They are the reason I went into politics. They are central to who we are.

But defending these principles is not enough. Today I want to argue that to ensure their success and our success, we have to make them inseparable from the idea of fairness.

We live in an era of unprecedented wealth, of incredible technological feats. We live longer than any previous generation, and in better health, thanks to the rule of law and the free markets that are the basis of Western civilization.

Yet, many Canadians are dissatisfied with their lot. They see unfairness everywhere. They think the one percent have it too good at the expense of the poor and middle classes. They resent the power of big business. They think their region or province is not getting its fair share.

I believe they have a point. But they are wrong when they blame the rich and capitalism for all this unfairness. And when they support those in the Liberal Party and the NDP who promise to solve these problems with more government intervention. Because the real culprit is big government.

Take the issue of government subsidies to businesses. Free-market economists unanimously decry them as inefficient and a waste of taxpayers’ money. They bring a misallocation of resources. They create a constant demand for government intervention in the economy.

We know that they make no sense from an economic point of view. In a free-market economy, either a business is profitable, and then it doesn’t need government subsidies. Or it’s not profitable, and in this case it should be restructured, or sold, or shut down, so that it stops destroying wealth instead of creating it.

Yet, governments continue to distribute billions of dollars to businesses every year.

Subsidies are also grossly unfair. They favour some businesses at the expense of others.

Is it fair that a small entrepreneur here in Barrie should be forced to pay taxes to funds subsidies to Bombardier, or GM, or any other business run by millionaires? Is it fair to have struggling businesses across the country compete for resources with well-connected or trendy industries that can outbid them with the help of government grants?

No it’s not fair. But the culprit is not the free market. It’s big government.

This week, the Trudeau government will unveil its first budget. Its deficit could be as big as 30 billion dollars. There is no end in sight to this red ink. Some analysts are predicting that 150 billion dollars will be added to the debt in the next five years.

The government says it has to invest in infrastructures to kick start the economy. But we are not in a recession. And in any case, only a fraction of the proposed spending is going to be for actual infrastructures, capital improvements that will boost productivity and provide long-term benefits. The rest is for social spending that the Liberals call “social infrastructures.”

Because it wants to please everyone, to answer the demands of every special interest, and to solve every problem, this government has already lost control of its finances, barely a few months after its election. And who will have to pay for this? Young Canadians of course.

Already, 10% of government revenues goes to reimbursing the debt. When they are born, Canadian babies already owe many tens of thousands of dollars, which they will have to reimburse in one way or another in the course of their life. Perhaps this is why they start crying as soon as they arrive in this world! Is it fair to burden them with our irresponsible spending?

Big government is fundamentally, irrevocably unfair. A bigger government means a government that taxes more, spends more, gets deeper into debt, and regulates more.

It’s a government that forces consumers to pay more for goods and services by protecting industries from competition and creating barriers to trade. Is that fair?

It’s a government that forces citizens to be content with inefficient government services by preventing private alternatives to emerge. Is that fair?

It’s a government that crushes private initiative and the dreams of young entrepreneurs by creating barriers to entry and making capital scarce. Is that fair?

The more a government pretends to solve problems with these reckless policies, the more injustice, inequality and unfairness it creates.

Defenders of big government keep saying that we need more government programs and more government spending to help the poor, because they are being unfairly treated in a free economy.

But that’s complete nonsense! Hundreds of millions of utterly poor people have been lifted out of poverty in China, in India and other third world countries in recent decades. Is it because they have bigger governments? No, it’s because big government has receded. And these countries have finally adopted the basic free-market policies that we in the West have had for two hundred years.

The only way to help the poor is to give them the means to take control of their own lives. Not to send them bigger cheques and keep them in their dependent status. As John F. Kennedy said, a rising tide lifts all boats.

Those who claim that the way to help the poor is through bigger government are completely misguided.

Big government hurts the poor by slowing down economic growth and wealth creation. Is that fair?

Big government reduces opportunities for the poor by killing job creation with excessive taxes and regulation. Is that fair?

Big government creates poverty traps and treats the poor in a paternalistic way instead of like responsible citizens. Is that fair?

Fairness means that everyone has a chance to succeed.

As Conservatives, we don’t believe that government intervention is a solution for everything. For us, government should ideally set up and enforce the basic rules of life in society. And then, leave individuals free to cooperate among themselves to provide for their wants. Government should not intervene to solve each and every problem on the road to a utopian and unrealistic vision of society.

We want smaller government because ultimately we support individual freedom and personal responsibility. We have faith in people. We have faith that they have the ability, the dignity and the right to make their own decisions and determine their own destiny.

We should proudly claim the moral high ground when it comes to offering the vision of a more equitable society. And never let anyone tell us that Conservatives don’t care about fairness, don’t care about redressing injustice.

On the contrary, small-government principles and policies are the only way to guarantee equal rights and opportunities for all. They are the only way to offer a fair deal to all sectors of the economy, to all regions of the country, to all Canadians.

But to convince Canadians that this is the case, we have to defend these principles consistently, openly, with passion and with conviction.

Then, and only then, can we ensure that the future will be Conservative.

Thank you.

Published on May 07, 2016

Maxime Bernier was the first declared leadership candidate to sign Generation Screwed’s Future Generations Protection Pledge. 

He committed to: 

1. Present a balanced budget to the House of Commons within 24 months after taking office – stopping the federal debt clock; 

2. After the budget is balanced, commit to running ONLY balanced budgets at all times outside of war or natural disaster; and

3. Legislate a debt repayment schedule, dedicating a portion of annual revenues towards eliminating the debt.

Published on May 11, 2016

On June 13, 2006, I gave the keynote speech as Minister of Industry at the Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto. The speech announces the main points of the reform that I implemented in this sector during the year that followed. — 6 April 2009

It is a great pleasure for me to attend this important gathering of the Canadian telecommunications industry.

I’m especially happy to meet so many of the people behind all these new products and services that are changing our lives and our economy.

It’s impossible to overstate how important the telecom industry is to our competitiveness, our productivity and our living standards. Our very future as a developed nation is increasingly dependent on information and communications technology.

As many of you may know, our new government has five priorities, but I can assure you that telecommunications is at the top of my action list.

In addition to its size and its importance to the Canadian economy, one reason the telecommunications industry has to be a priority is that things are changing so fast.

New technologies can be “cutting edge” one day and virtually obsolete the next.

In government, just as in business, we cannot afford to be slow in adapting. We cannot afford to lag behind while other countries leap forward.

When the Telecommunications Act was adopted in 1993, no one could foresee the extent to which the Internet and other technologies would revolutionize almost every aspect of our daily lives.

Today, no one can predict what the sector will look like a year from now. This pace of change has become a fact of life, and it forces us – on the government side – to adapt our ways.

Canada already has one of the most dynamic and competitive telecom sectors in the world. Since the introduction of competition in the 1990s, we have had a measured transition toward an increasingly open and competitive market.

Today, this transition is almost complete. Except for remote regions of the country, there are competitive pressures coming from all sides.

The introduction of competition has also led to the emergence of innovation, new technologies and services at affordable prices.

Several types of technologies – wireline and wireless – have been blended. And it is becoming increasingly difficult to define precisely what a market in telecommunications services is – where it starts and where it ends.

For example, not only is there more competition for traditional local phone services, there is also competition coming from other technologies.

More and more Canadians have no telephones plugged into the walls of their homes. They use only cell phones.

I read in a survey done last month by Decima Research that about 5 percent of all Canadian households have replaced their traditional telephone line with wireless telephone service. Another 17 percent are considering doing so.

Let me give you this clear message today: it is not the role of government to decide how this increasingly complex market should evolve. It is up to you – producers and consumers.

Likewise, our role is not to decide which technology is better and should be permitted to to grow faster. That is up to the marketplace to decide.

What this government wants to do is twofold: to ensure that all businesses -regardless of their size – have a chance to succeed.

As well, we want to ensure that consumers are protected and have access to the best services at an affordable price.

Our government is committed to modernizing the way the telecommunications industry is being regulated in Canada. Our goal is to remain among the most advanced and dynamic nations in the world in this field.

That is why I was very pleased to receive, last March, the final report of the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel.

Its three members – Gerri Sinclair, Hank Intven and André Tremblay – did extremely valuable work in analysing the state of the industry and in proposing ways to bring about this modernization.

Among its numerous recommendations, the Panel calls for extensive reform of Canada’s national telecommunications policy and the regulatory approaches used to implement it.

As the Panel wrote:

It is time to reverse the current presumption in the Telecommunications Act that all services should be regulated unless the CRTC issues a forbearance order. This should be replaced with a legislative presumption that services would not be regulated except in specified circumstances designed to protect end-users or maintain competitive markets.

Back in 1993 when the Act came into force, it introduced a transition to a competitive telecom landscape. That is why two of the policy objectives set out in the Act deal with this question.

One states: “to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness, at the national and international levels, of Canadian telecommunications.” Another states: “to foster increased reliance on market forces for the provision of telecommunications services and to ensure that regulation, where required, is efficient and effective.”

How these two objectives are interpreted is key to implementing many of the regulatory reforms recommended in the Panel’s report.

Over the years, as the report clearly states, these two objectives have been subject to a wide disparity of interpretations by parties who advocate diametrically opposed views.

For some, the objectives are interpreted to call for proactive measures to increase competition. For others, they mean that market forces should be permitted to work without regulation.

They have been used to justify both the increased regulation of essential facilities and their deregulation.

Specifically, the Panel recommended that the government issue a policy direction to the CRTC in order to help clarify this confusion. In doing so, we can immediately begin the modernization of our telecom regulation.

That is why the government tabled in Parliament today a proposed policy direction to direct the CRTC to rely on market forces to the maximum extent feasible within the scope of the current Telecommunications Act.

It calls on the CRTC to regulate telecommunications services only when necessary.

It is the first time since the adoption of the Telecommunications Act that such a policy direction has been issued. It will help clarify the meaning of the policy objectives set out in the Act when these are debated again in the regulatory proceedings of the CRTC.

The ultimate goal of this initiative is that all Canadian consumers and the economy as a whole benefit from this competitive environment – and from the greater innovation that it will spur.

As a former businessman, I of course wish each of you great success in your business pursuits, but as Minister of Industry, I have a responsibility to all Canadians.

Let me share some of my personal beliefs.

As you know, I have been in public life for only a few months now.

I came to this portfolio from the private sector with a strong appreciation for the benefits of markets and their ability to deliver results.

The record is clear around the globe. Economic freedom benefits individuals, communities and countries.

Countries where economic freedom flourishes – countries that are open to business and entrepreneurship – are countries that have faster-rising standards of living.

So, greater competition in the telecom sector – supported by a more coherent policy that relies on market forces to the greatest extent possible under the Act – will bring about even lower prices and better services.

It will encourage innovation and lead to higher productivity in how services are provided.

As changes to the regulatory environment take place, we will ensure that the needs and rights of consumers are protected.

In particular, for Canadians living in remote areas of the country where there is limited choice, our government will be there to ensure universal access to telecommunications services at a reasonable price.

These communities are not likely to see as much telecommunications competition as larger centres; they may continue to be served by only one provider.

Regulation, or some other form of government support, will continue to be essential to ensure that these consumers and businesses have access to an affordable, world-class communications infrastructure.

Although many of us take the power of technology for granted, we cannot be complacent in creating an environment where these technologies can grow and thrive.

That’s because it is through the use of telecom technology that our economy, our citizens and our country can compete and succeed in the global marketplace.

Let me close by saying again that our government endorses the concept of reliance on market forces to the maximum extent feasible under the Telecommunications Act while using regulatory tools to deal only with those issues that market forces cannot address.

I am committed to making every change necessary so that our telecom industry remains one of the most dynamic in the world.

I cannot wait to see all the new gadgets that you will bring to the market in the coming years to enhance our work and our lives, even though they may drive us all a little crazy!

We are entering an exciting new era of reform, and I hope I will have your support in going forward in this direction.

Thank you very much.

Published on May 11, 2016

On Septembre 17, 2006, I delivered this speech about economic freedom, the importance of entrepreneurship and the role of government at the Annual General Assembly of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Saskatoon. — 7 April 2009

Before I begin, I want to take a moment to recognize the outstanding work of the Chamber of Commerce and its members. The Chamber is an essential link between government and tens of thousands of Canadian entrepreneurs and innovators – the very heart of Canada’s economic engine. One of the keys to prosperity for all Canadians is entrepreneurship. It is very important to me; it is vital to our economy. And this is what I would like to discuss with you today.

The first thing you should know about me is that I am from the Beauce, the region along the Chaudière River south of Québec. The Beauce is unique in Quebec – it is well known as the most entrepreneurial region of the province. Many of the best-known business people in Quebec come from the Beauce.

This is also where I learned the values that go with entrepreneurship: individual freedom, integrity, responsibility and self-reliance. When I am defending economic freedom and entrepreneurship, I am defending what to me are “les valeurs Beauceronnes” – the values of my native Beauce.

I grew up believing that when we are free to create and to innovate, and to reap the benefit of our work, all human beings will tend to exhibit some quality of entrepreneurship. And by embracing these ideals we will make the world better, for ourselves and for everybody else at the same time.

Although we usually think of entrepreneurs as business people developing new products and investing in risky ventures, this is a narrow definition. Entrepreneurship is an outlook on life. It is the ability to see opportunities in your environment and exploit them to create something new or make something better.

You can be an entrepreneur in your own field, since there is always something to improve whatever we do. A hairdresser who develops an ability to match heads with new hairstyles is an entrepreneur. An industrial worker who finds a faster way to assemble a machine is an entrepreneur. A teacher who uses games to keep his students interested in mathematics is an entrepreneur.

All these people create something of a greater value. They do it not only because they can earn more money. They do it because it makes their jobs more interesting, because it gives meaning to their lives, because they believe that they can make a difference. That is why governments at all levels need to nurture entrepreneurs, not punish them with job-killing taxes and burdensome red tape.

My dream for Canada is that the 21st century becomes the century of the individual, the century of the entrepreneur, a century of unequalled freedom and prosperity. As Canadian Minister of Industry, I can have a bit of influence on making this dream come true. I have already started working to achieve this goal.

You are probably aware that earlier this year, I tabled in Parliament a proposed policy direction to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission – the CRTC. This is the first time since the Telecommunications Act came into force almost 15 years ago that a policy direction has been issued to the CRTC. It marks our intention to direct the CRTC to rely on market forces as much as possible in exercising its mandate. When regulation is necessary, we want to ensure it poses the least possible interference with market forces.

This will mean lower regulatory cost and burden, with fewer regulatory proceedings and more competitive markets. This will lead to a stronger competitive environment and, in turn, more choice, lower prices and better service for Canadians.

In June I met with my American and Mexican counterparts to officially launch the North American Competitiveness Council (NACC). Its mandate is to provide governments with recommendations on broad issues such as making our borders more efficient and reducing regulations, as well as increasing the competitiveness of key sectors. I look forward to receiving recommendations from the entrepreneurs – members of the NACC – who know better about fostering a more productive economy.

Last week, I met with my provincial and territorial counterparts in Halifax to discuss ways to strengthen Canada’s economic union. In today’s globalizing world, it makes no sense to still have interprovincial trade barriers. I was very encouraged by the discussions with my provincial colleagues. We reached agreement on an ambitious action plan that will significantly improve labour mobility, allowing Canadians to work and live anywhere in Canada without restrictions by April 1, 2009.

As Canadian Minister of Industry and member of Canada’s new government, I believe we have to establish conditions so that all small businesses can realize their goals. We need to nurture entrepreneurs and liberate their capacities to invent, invest and achieve.

Our government shares your goal to foster a strong, competitive economic environment that benefits Canada and all Canadians. That is why the budget’s first priority is a more competitive tax system. We want to create an environment that encourages investment and supports a more productive economy.

We cut the GST. We reduced the lowest personal income tax rate. The amount that all Canadians can earn without paying federal income tax will be increased, each and every year for 2005, 2006 and 2007. We introduced the $1000 Canada Employment Credit to give Canadians a break on what it costs to work – recognizing expenses for things such as home computers, uniforms and supplies. We reduced the tax burden on business, especially small business – the greatest generator of jobs and wealth in Canada.

Beginning next year, the threshold at which small business income is eligible for the reduced federal tax rate will increase by $100 000, to $400 000. The 12-percent rate for eligible small business income will be reduced by a full percentage point over the next two and a half years. We have eliminated the federal capital tax, two years ahead of schedule. The corporate surtax will be abolished in 2008, and, by 2010, Canada’s general corporate tax rate will have dropped by two full percentage points.

Budget 2006 also outlined the reduction of paper burden on small and medium-sized businesses as a priority. Like the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canada’s government recognizes that time is money, especially when it comes to regulatory matters. We are working with partners such as the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters association to bring about real results from the Paperwork Burden Reduction Initiative. Processes are being streamlined and, as the Minister responsible, I am committed to working within the federal government and with our partners in the provinces and territories to increase the pace of regulatory reform.

In addition, we continue to refine the BizPaL initiative, working with our partners in the provinces, territories and municipalities to give business people easy, one-stop access to the business permit and licence process for all levels of government.

Improving the business environment also means enhancing trade relations with other countries. Already we have moved decisively to improve the working relationship with the Americans – our largest trading partner and closest ally. We have reached an agreement with the United States to bring an end to the longstanding softwood lumber dispute. It ensures a greater certainty for businesses in this industry that will allow them to innovate, invest, grow and expand.

We are also building upon existing relations with China, our fastest-growing and second-largest national trading partner. Our nations have enjoyed a long and mutually beneficial trade partnership, and we will continue developing this important relationship.

These are only a few examples of what we have accomplished. And more will come.

For too long in this country, we have had too much government on our back and too much government in our pockets. The government’s role is to create an environment that does not punish people who work more and earn more money, but rather encourages them.

As Ronald Reagan once said, the role of the government is not: If it moves, tax it; if it keeps moving, regulate it; and if it stops moving, subsidize it. Good government policy gives people the opportunity to look to the future, to dream and to realize their dreams. This is what living in a great and free country is all about.

Today I’ve spoken about values that I know you share. I’m not asking you to believe in yourselves; you already do. I’m not asking you to be entrepreneurs; you already are. But I will ask you to work with me, and with my colleagues in Canada’s new government, to build a freer, more dynamic and competitive economy.

Ladies and gentlemen, entrepreneurs, thank you.

Published on May 11, 2016

On December 11, 2006, I held a press conference at the Canada Science and Technology Museum to announce the main points of the changes in the regulatory framework of the local telephone markets that I had succeeded in getting adopted by the government. Professor Richard Schultz, who is director of the political science department at McGill University, explains in an article reprinted elsewhere on this blog the process that led to this reform. It is a major reform, seen by many as the most important in this sector for several decades, and of which I am extremely proud — 8 April 2009

A major reform for local telephone markets

Today, December 11, 2006, will become an important date for telecommunications in Canada. We are here this afternoon for a very important announcement. A museum featuring an exhibition on the history of telecommunications is the best place to announce a reform of the telecommunications industry.

About 25 years ago, Canada started the process of ending the monopolies of a few big telephone companies. This long process started with allowing the interconnection of private lines and private equipment to the monopoly networks in 1979 and 1980. But the pace accelerated after the government licensed two national cellular service systems in 1984.

Further, in 1992, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) opened the market for public long-distance calls to competition. Then, in 1997, competitors were also allowed in the local telephone market.

There have been many technological revolutions during this period, such as the arrival of cell phones, the Internet, broadband networks, Voice over Internet Protocol and cable telephony. Today, Canadians benefit from one of the most developed and dynamic telecommunication industries in the world.

All this happened thanks to several key ingredients: entrepreneurship, capital investment and new technologies.

But it also happened for one major reason and that is because the former monopolies lost their privileges – because market forces were allowed to play, and because consumers were allowed to choose.

Without deregulation of the telephone market, or the absence of regulation from the start of emerging sectors like wireless and the Internet, it could not have happened. Today, 70 percent of the telecommunications sector is deregulated.

That is why I am spearheading an ambitious policy agenda in the telecom sector, the essence of which is a new regulatory framework that is more modern, flexible and efficient.

I started this process in June, when I tabled a proposed policy direction to the CRTC in Parliament. It calls on the CRTC to rely on market forces to the maximum extent feasible and to regulate telecommunications services only when necessary.

Now, it is time to enable consumers and businesses to benefit from retail-price deregulation of traditional local telephone service as well.

Today, I am proud to announce that, in the interests of Canadian consumers, the government is proposing to change the CRTC Decision on Local Forbearance. In this ruling, the CRTC laid out its criteria for determining when it would refrain from regulating retail local telephone service provided by the former monopolies, on the basis of a market-share test.

With this regulatory regime, however, the CRTC is still inhibiting competition beyond what is necessary. Continuing with this regime means it may take up to two years before deregulation comes to major urban markets. Meanwhile, consumers are deprived of the benefits of more intense competition.

The government proposes to replace the CRTC’s market-share test with one that emphasizes the presence of competitive infrastructure in a given geographical area.

The new test that we are putting forward is based on the presence of several competitors that have their own wireline or wireless networks and are offering competing telephone services. Under this test, the former regional monopolies will no longer need to get CRTC approval to set their prices for residential services in areas where there are at least three facilities-based telecommunications service providers owned by three non-affiliated companies.

This means that in regions where consumers have access to telephone services from a traditional telephone service, a cable company and at least one non-related wireless provider, deregulation will occur. For local business markets, we are proposing a similar test based on the presence of two competing wireline network operators.

We are also proposing an end to restrictions on “winback” offers and other promotions and marketing practices in all markets across Canada. It is the essence of competition to be able to inform your customers. We don’t help competition by preventing players from promoting their products.

The transition from the old way of regulated telephone monopolies to an open and competitive market offering several types of services is now almost complete. Except for rural and remote regions of the country, there are competitive pressures coming from all sides.

In a competitive sector, consumers – not a government agency – should determine what price to pay for telephone services. In a competitive sector, there is no reason to regulate some companies while allowing others to offer the services they want at the prices they want. It is time to have a level playing field.

This is why our government is taking a step further today to complete this development. We are proposing to remove the last regulatory obstacles to full competition in the local telephone market, so that Canadian consumers will benefit from even more choice, better service and lower prices.

Deregulation in the long-distance sector has shown that competition is a key factor in keeping telephone service prices low. Domestic prices for long-distance calls have dropped from an average of 35 cents a minute in 1993, when the market was open to new players, to approximately 10 cents a minute today. And these price decreases occurred mostly in 1998 and 1999. That’s just after the CRTC deregulated the long-distance rates of the former monopolies.

In following this agenda, Canada will be guided by the spirit of deregulation shown by initiatives in several developed countries such as Denmark, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Norway and Australia, which have significantly less price regulation than Canada, or no regulation at all. This is despite the fact that none of these countries have cable deployment as extensive as Canada, where cable telephony is rapidly establishing itself as the main competitor to traditional wireline telephony.

On Saturday, December 16, we will publish our proposal to alter the CRTC Decision for public consideration in the Canada Gazette for a 30-day consultation period.

About 60 percent of the Canadian population lives in regions that meet the competitive infrastructure test, including most major urban centres. For Canadians living in remote areas of the country where there is limited choice, our government will be there to ensure universal access to telecommunications services at a reasonable price.

We propose to leave in place existing safeguards that protect consumers such as a price ceiling for stand-alone residential service and continued price regulation in regions where there is little competition.

Finally, we are also proposing to amend the Competition Act. Last week, I tabled in Parliament amendments to the Competition Act to establish financial consequences for companies that engage in anti-competitive behaviour in deregulated markets.

This new safeguard will ensure the viability of competition in a deregulated market, protecting both consumers and competitors. Together, these proposals will reduce unnecessary regulation and increase reliance on market forces and competition in telecommunications, so that Canadian families and businesses can benefit from more choices and improved products and services.

Published on May 11, 2016

On January 18, 2007, as Minister of Industry, I gave this speech on the importance of entrepreneurship and the high economic costs of too much regulation at the Saint-Georges-de-Beauce Chamber of Commerce. — 10 April 2009

As you probably know, one of the most important keys to prosperity for all Canadians is entrepreneurship. An entrepreneurial approach is vital to our economy, and that is what I would like to discuss with you today.

Wherever I give speeches in Canada, be it in Montréal, Toronto or Saskatoon, I always introduce myself the same way.

I say that I come from the Beauce. That the Beauce region is unique in Canada. That it is well known as Quebec’s most dynamic business centre. That many of Quebec’s best-known business leaders are from the Beauce.

And if you want to understand who Maxime Bernier is and what he does, keep in mind that he comes from the Beauce. And that the Beauce made him what he is.

A year ago, when I announced that I was running for Parliament, I said that I would go to Ottawa to defend les valeurs beauceronnes, the values of the Beauce – values such as integrity, entrepreneurship and individual freedom.

That was my one and only promise.

These values are what guides me in the numerous issues for which I am responsible at Industry Canada. In promoting economic freedom and entrepreneurship, I am defending what I consider to be Beauce values.

These are obviously universal values – values that are at the core of Western civilization and shared by millions of Canadians. Values that have made this country prosperous and a great place to live.

The word “entrepreneur” usually brings to mind business people who are developing new products and investing in risky ventures, but this definition is too narrow. When they are free to create and innovate and reap the benefits of their work, all human beings exhibit an entrepreneurial spirit.

Entrepreneurship is an outlook on life. It is the ability to see opportunities in our environment and exploit them to create something new or make something better.

We can all be entrepreneurs in our own fields, since there is always something to improve, no matter what we do. A hairdresser who can tailor the latest hairstyles to his clients is an entrepreneur. An industrial worker who finds a faster way to assemble a machine is an entrepreneur. A teacher who uses games to keep her students interested in mathematics is an entrepreneur.

All these people create something valuable. They don’t necessarily do it for the money. They do it because it makes their jobs more interesting. Because they believe that they can make a difference. Because it gives meaning to their lives.

By embracing the ideals of entrepreneurship and free enterprise, we make the world a better place, for us and for everyone else.

You may be wondering what all of this has to do with my mandate at Industry Canada. Actually, it has a lot to do with this mandate. My department’s mission is to help make the Canadian economy more productive.

You are probably aware that an economy is more productive when people are free to create, innovate, work, exchange ideas and invest. It is more productive when people are motivated to demonstrate their entrepreneurship, in the most traditional business sense and in the general terms I just mentioned.

I believe in economic freedom because I have faith in people. Because I have faith in entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs like you are the very heart of our economy. They drive the economy. They create wealth. It isn’t governments that create jobs, it is entrepreneurs.

Governments at all levels need to nurture entrepreneurs, not punish them with taxes and burdensome red tape. There has been too much government in Canada for too long. Governments dip into our pockets too often. They impose too much red tape. They put a spoke in the wheel of those who want to create. It is time for this to change.

Excessive regulation comes at a price, and the price is very high. Last fall, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published a study that explains how unnecessary regulations hamper the implementation of new technologies. According to this study, countries with many restrictive regulations have lower productivity levels.

The study also indicated that productivity in Canadian enterprises could have been higher. It could have been one percent higher every year from 1995 to 2003, if we had adopted regulations similar to those of less restrictive countries for each of our economic sectors. One percent higher per year. We all know that this makes a huge difference after a few years!

The OECD study made another important observation. Excessive regulation has more serious consequences on sectors that make extensive use of information and communications technologies. It is therefore even more crucial that we reduce unnecessary regulations in these sectors.

That is why, over the past few months, I have taken action on many occasions with regard to telecommunications. My goal is to create a new regulatory framework that is more modern, flexible and effective.

I made an order that gives clear policy directions to the CRTC. This is the first time since the Telecommunications Act came into force nearly 15 years ago that any such instruction has been issued to the CRTC. It directs the CRTC to rely on market forces as much as possible in its decision making, and to impose regulations only when needed to protect the interests of Canadians.

I also changed two CRTC decisions that imposed overly burdensome regulations with regard to the Internet and local telephony. It is time that consumers and enterprises benefit from the deregulation of these services. This will lead to a stronger competitive environment and, in turn, more choice, lower prices and better telephone services for all Canadians.

Since it came into power almost a year ago, Canada’s new government, led by Prime Minister Harper, of which I am proud to be a part, has agreed to govern Canada according to a clear vision and an ambitious program.

Reducing personal income tax and the tax burden on business was a key element of the 2006 Budget and of our recent Economic and Fiscal Update.

The 2006 Budget not only confirmed our commitment to reducing the GST by one percentage point, but it also eased the tax burden of Canadians by a total of more than $20 billion over two years. That is more than the overall tax relief provided by the last four federal budgets combined.

In November’s Economic and Fiscal Update, Finance Minister Flaherty publicly announced the Advantage Canada Plan. Under this plan, Canada’s new government has promised to reduce the debt by at least $3 billion in 2006-2007 and each subsequent fiscal year. Canadians will directly benefit from this measure. The interest savings generated by the reduced debt will be returned directly to Canadians through a reduction in personal income taxes. As the Finance Minister said: “Lower debt means less interest means lower taxes; that’s our tax back guarantee.”

I have spoken today of the values of freedom and enterprise that I share with many of you. These are the values that led me into politics.

It is because of you that I am an MP and a minister. It is because of you that Beauce values are so influential in Ottawa. And it’s also because of you, our entrepreneurs, that the country is so prosperous. I am asking you to keep on being entrepreneurs, in your own endeavours and in your own way.

Human progress knows no limits when women and men are free to follow their dreams. My dream is that the 21st century will be, for the Beauce, for Quebec and for Canada, the century of the entrepreneur – a century of unequalled liberty and prosperity. With your support, I want to help make this dream come true.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, entrepreneurs.