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Prime Minister Harper announces twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park
5 August 2008
Lake Louise, Alberta
PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERYThank you. Good morning everybody. First of all, thank you Jim (Prentice) for that kind introduction. Also, thank you for the work you're doing, not just as Minister of Industry, but also as Regional Minister for our Government in the province of Alberta. Also I'd like to welcome some of my colleagues. Blaine Calkins is here from Wetaskiwin, and Deepak Obhrai from Calgary East. Also welcome to Bill Fisher, who's the ranking person from Parks Canada here today, and of course welcome to all of the managers and staff who work for our parks service. And of course, special greetings to Wild Rose Member of Parliament Myron Thompson.
As I think those who live in the area know, this part of Alberta is known as "David Thompson country" after the West's great explorer and mapmaker. But for the last 15 years, the spectacular region that includes the Rockies from Saskatchewan River crossing to Canmore, the foothills from Caroline to Cochrane, and the prairies from Olds to Airdrie has also been Myron Thompson country. Now, as far as I know, Myron and David are not related, but they're both larger-than-life characters who have had a real impact on this part of Canada. As a schoolteacher and principal, businessman, mayor of Sundre and of course Member of Parliament, Myron has made an enormous contribution to his community. I regret to say that he is retiring from federal politics at the end of his current term. But he certainly has earned the right to put up his feet and relax. For a decade and a half Myron has worked tirelessly for the 100,000 constituents of Wild Rose. He's been a loud and clear voice in Ottawa for clean, accountable government, for low taxes, for law and order and for of course all things affecting the local community.
He has also been a tireless champion for the expansion and upgrading of the vital transportation corridor linking Southern Alberta to the West Coast, and that is of course the Trans-Canada highway. Myron knows this highway like the back of his hand. He knows how critical it is to keep traffic moving smoothly and safely through the mountain parks and over the great continental divide. Literally billions of dollars worth of commercial products and millions of tourists pass through this corridor every single year, but as the people who live, work and raise their families in the communities along the highway know all too well, some stretches of the Trans-Canada can be treacherous, especially during severe winter months. The two-lane section west of Castle Junction, for example, has an accident rate 17 times higher than the Alberta average. The cost of all those accidents in wrecked vehicles, commercial traffic delays and of course, worst of all, injuries and lost lives, is literally incalculable. Myron has been pushing for improvements for years. In fact, my policy director told me this morning that the very first thing Myron raised with him when he was working for our operation in 1994 was the importance of doing work here on the Trans-Canada. Now as he prepares to ride off into the sunset of his political career, these efforts have finally paid off.
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to announce that our Government will extend the twinning of the Trans-Canada by an additional 14 kilometres all the way to Castle Junction. Construction will begin early next year, creating jobs for local companies and workers and business opportunities for their suppliers. When the construction is complete, travel on the highway will be safer and more reliable for tourists, residents and truckers. There will be fewer traffic tie-ups on this crucial national commercial transportation artery.
Today's announcement is part of our government's broader agenda called the Building Canada Plan, the largest national infrastructure renewal program in half a century. It reflects our commitment to working federally and with other levels of government to provide predictable, flexible and long-term support to restore and upgrade our highways, bridges, tunnels, ports and public transit systems. Our Government launched Building Canada in budget 2007. Upgrading the Trans-Canada highway from coast to coast is one of our highest priorities, and today's announcement is an important step forward in that plan. When this project in Myron Thompson country is complete, it will form part of the legacy of the outstanding Parliamentarian who worked so hard to see it to fruition, and it will also reflect on his lifelong commitment as a member of our Government to building a stronger, safer and better Canada. Thank you very much.
