Mr. James Moore (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, CPC: Mr. Speaker, the Asia-Pacific gateway and corridor initiative is vital to the economic health and future of British Columbia, western Canada and all Canadians. That is why this Conservative government, as we promised to do, is supporting the gateway with record investments.
Our government is taking the lead. In budget 2006 we committed $591 million to the gateway. In budget 2007 we increased the amount to $1 billion. Last week we announced infrastructure projects across B.C. We are delivering on our promises and Canada will be the stronger for it.
Premier Gordon Campbell said it best last week. He said, “the B.C. caucus of the federal government, the Conservative caucus has done a great job of grabbing this initiative, of understanding this initiative, of recognizing it's an initiative not just for British Columbia, that it's an initiative for all of Canada”.
This Conservative government is investing in infrastructure, expanding our trade capacity and building a stronger, better Canada, exactly what we were elected to do.