A recent report titled “Manufacturing: Moving Forward – Rising to the Challenge” examined the massively important role the manufacturing sector has in Canada.  The substantial business sector actually accounts for the largest percent of economic activity at 18%.  It also provides employment for just over two million people.  This essential piece of our country is also of vital importance for our City.

I tabled a motion at a City Council meeting in November to create the Southern Ontario Economic Diversification Fund.  Currently the Federal Government has a number of programs (including FedNor, ACOA and the Western Economic Diversification Fund) which help improve the economies in specific regions by providing opportunities for diversification and expansion within the economies.  It is time for the Federal Government to review current funding envelopes and expand it to communities in Southern Ontario which have lost over 30,000 jobs in the last 3 years.

I also put forward a motion containing recommendations to ensure the viability of the Canadian manufacturing sector. The list of 22 recommendations was put together originally by the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology.  These were arrived at after meeting many stakeholders in the industry since May 2006. Both motions were supported by the Hamilton City Council.  These City-endorsed motions were taken to the FCM meetings in Ottawa and the FCM has given the motions their support as well.  It is imperative that the Federal Government accelerate the implementation of the 22 recommendations put forward in this motion.  Manufacturing across Canada is still in need of more support so that it might better enrich all other aspects of our country.  These 22 recommendations include matters related to capital write off, skill training, streamlining of regulations, strengthening of policies on anti-dumping and conservation safeguard, and research and development.