Speaking Notes for

The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians

On behalf of

The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development

Groundbreaking Event for Women Building Futures

10326 – 107 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
October 27, 2006
3:30 p.m.

Check against delivery

Good afternoon. Bonjour.

I am pleased to be here today, on behalf of my colleague, the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development — and the Minister responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Today, we are here to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Women Building Futures training and housing facility.

Here in Edmonton, and right across the country, Canada’s New Government is getting things done for Canadians.  We’re putting more money in their pockets by lowering taxes, helping with choice in child care by giving parents $100 a month for each child under six, and providing municipalities with funding through the gas tax.  We’ve also introduced important new changes to Compassionate Care leave, brought in incentives to help young people get into the trades through apprenticeship grants, provided $1 billion for post-secondary education, and made an additional $1.4 billion commitment to affordable housing.

Our ongoing commitment to affordable housing is helping to provide support for projects like this one. Once complete, this project will provide 42 units of transitional housing for lower-income women and their children.

Canada’s New Government is very proud to be working in close cooperation with the Province of Alberta to fund this project, through federal funding of more than $1.7 million under the Canada – Alberta Affordable Housing Agreement. We also invested $850,000 in the Women Building Futures training facility through funding delivered by Western Economic Diversification Canada. This investment will help the Women Building Futures Society train future women apprentices, which will in turn strengthen Alberta's workforce.

Through CMHC, our national housing agency for more than 60 years, the federal government provides approximately $2 billion a year in housing assistance across the country. This primarily supports some 633,000 lower-income households. For the people of Alberta, this represents a total of about $143 million annually — in support of about 39,550 lower-income households.

Today's event marks an important step forward for the people of Edmonton and demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together. When it comes to building communities, it takes the efforts of many to achieve success. It takes partnerships at all levels of government. And it also takes creative and innovative people with a vision.

Thank you to all those involved in this project, especially the Women Building Futures Society. Your ongoing efforts are helping women build better lives and achieve economic prosperity through training and mentorship. I applaud your efforts.

Thank you for joining us today. Merci.