News Release

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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PRIME MINISTER HARPER OUTLINES VISION BASED ON REAL RESULTS FOR A STRONG QUEBEC WITHIN A UNITED CANADA

December 7, 2007
RIVIÈRE-DU-LOUP, QUEBEC

In an address delivered today before the Rivière-du-Loup Chamber of Commerce, Prime Minister Stephen Harper indicated that his Conservative government practises a federalism of openness that respects Quebec's historical, cultural and linguistic distinctiveness and gives it the flexibility and autonomy it needs to maintain its Francophone identity within a strong and united Canada.

"For over 40 years, Quebeckers had to choose between centralization and separation," said the Prime Minister. "They don't want to make that choice any longer, and our government understands that. Quebecers want a strong Quebec within a united Canada."

Prime Minister Harper, who was accompanied by Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, stressed that Ottawa's fiscal policy constitutes a cornerstone of the strategy to modernize the Canadian Federation.

"We recognized the existence of the fiscal imbalance before we even formed government," added the Prime Minister. "Budget 2007, resolved the fiscal imbalance – for real. The recent Speech from the Throne stated that legislation would be tabled to impose explicit limits on the use of federal spending power for new shared-cost programs in areas exclusively under provincial jurisdiction."

The Prime Minister pointed out that the government is harnessing the core strengths of the Canadian economy by cutting taxes and gearing spending to practical initiatives like infrastructure, which will spur growth and prosperity. "We're making sure that our economy remains strong well into the future. But nothing is more important than a solid fiscal policy – results-based spending, paying down the debt and permanent tax relief."

The Prime Minister was in Rivière-du-Loup as part of a tour of the Lower St. Lawrence region, where he met with municipal, local officials and business leaders in Rimouski.

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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
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