INAC minister tells audience to take advantage of the economic stimulus now
Take advantage of stimulus: Strahl
Luke Simcoe, The StarPhoenix - January 31, 2009
Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Chuck Strahl had five words Friday for those contemplating taking advantage of the Conservative government's new spending incentives: "Use it or lose it."
Speaking to the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce, Strahl stressed his government's plan to stimulate the economy is temporary and urged people to take advantage of it while they can.
"We're only going to do this for two years," he said.
Strahl's speech touched on many of the budget's highlights, including changes to employment insurance, infrastructure investment programs and consumer perks such as the $1,350 home improvement tax credit.
"My wife's really interested in that one," he said.
Strahl praised the Conservative's broad-based income tax cuts, saying they would result in $600 million remaining in Saskatchewan over the next five years -- money he says would have previously been sent to Ottawa.
The minister was hesitant to name specific programs that would benefit from infrastructure spending in Saskatchewan, but did say some road repairs in Estevan were already earmarked.
During his address, Strahl didn't go into detail about the impact of the budget on First Nations, but aboriginal issues were front and centre when he took questions from the media.
He said the support for First Nations programs contained in the budget would allow his ministry to be flexible with existing aboriginal funds and economic initiatives.
Part of that flexibility will hopefully involve partnerships with the provincial government in Saskatchewan to assist First Nations farmers, Strahl said.
"We've lost a generation of aboriginal farmers," he said. "And, in some cases, they're going to need to be re-tooled and re-trained to be farmers."
The new budget set aside $200 million for the construction of 10 new schools on reserves throughout Canada. The government is close to announcing where they will be built, and, while he wouldn't discuss specifics, Strahl confirmed new schools will be built in Saskatchewan.