Budget Day Today

As many of you know, Prime Minister Harper will be presenting the government’s new budget on January 27, 2009. On January 15, I and other Aboriginal leaders met with the Prime Minister and the Premiers to make the case once more for our priority issues.

I have long been urging the government to afford the Inuit of Canada the same considerations all Canadians have a right to expect. On January 27, I hope to hear positive news from the government that the pressing and considerable needs of Inuit that represent real roadblocks to our well being and quality of life will be recognized in tangible ways.

Inuit have always been willing partners to work with governments in developing our regions. Our strength, I believe, is the use of creative, practical, and peaceful diplomacy to advance our agenda. For the forthcoming federal budget, we brought eight items to the table that are doable over the next 24 months and would produce tangible results. Housing is a key issue, as are skills training and breaking the logjam over the process to get the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline underway. Let’s see what happens.

Technorati Tags: inuit Government of Canada budget Mary Simon