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Latest Headlines
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Feb 8, 2010 2:28:00 PM MST
Prime minister meets with business leaders, Alberta caucus in Calgary (Harper-Cgy-Visit)
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CALGARY _ Energy and economic recovery topped the agenda when Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Calgary business leaders Monday ahead of the federal budget.
Harper projected optimism in a short statement he made for reporters before closing the doors on the meeting.
"We had some good news last week on the jobs front. We had a little bit of good news on the Buy America front. Commodity prices are obviously a lot better than they were a year ago," he said.
"That all said, we think we still have some significant challenges going forward, given the fragile state of the global recovery."
A deal was struck last week that allows Canadian companies to be temporarily exempt from some of the Buy American elements of Washington´s stimulus package.
Also last week, it was announced that the unemployment rate fell slightly in January to 8.3 per cent from 8.4 per cent the month before, although the was almost entirely due to gains in part-time jobs.
Cal Nichols, chairman of the Alberta Enterprise Group, said after the meeting that leaders talked about how long stimulus funds should continue.
"It´s strictly business, has to work within the budget, and I guess there will come a point when there´s limited funds, but I think the programs that are in place and those that are planned will continue to go forward."
Doug Mitchell, co-chairman of law firm Borden Ladner Gervais, said specific requests for the upcoming budget were not discussed.
Harper also met with Alberta MPs, including Environment Minister Jim Prentice and Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose. He did not take questions from the media.
Nichols said there was no discussion of equalization, a hot-button issue in Alberta.
The province´s new finance minister, Ted Morton, has said he plans to take a tough stand in negotiating the terms of equalization with the federal government. He argues the province is suffering an undue burden due to lower energy prices.
After the meeting, Prentice sidestepped the question of whether Ottawa plans to play ball. He would only say that ministers would engaged the province in discussions about the economy.
"Alberta´s had a strong economy and we want to see that continue to be the case. That´s the issue and that´ll be the issue in the coming days."
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