A hundred years ago, about 80 percent of Canada’s population lived in rural areas, and nowadays the opposite is true, with about 80 percent residing in urban centres.

The Statistics Canada rural-urban designation leaves something to be desired, because an urban dweller is defined as someone who lives in a town or city with a population over 1,000. I consider my whole constituency to be rural in nature, even though we have some municipalities with well over 1,000 people.

The federal government makes sure that the needs of rural areas are handled with the same urgency as densely populated centres. Members of Parliament representing rural constituencies must keep their issues on the front burner in Ottawa, and many of us do it with considerable success.

In May 2009, the government sent a loud message to rural Canada by investing $45.6 million over four years in Canada’s Rural Partnership that allows the Rural Secretariat to continue its work.

I am a member of the Conservative Party Rural Caucus where discussions take place with other rural M.P.s from across the country. We create strategies to present to the government that address specific rural issues that could otherwise go unnoticed. It is surprising how many issues a farmer in Saltcoats, Springside, Preeceville, Lemberg, or Hudson Bay has in common with his counterparts in rural Ontario in places like Dryden, Renfrew, or Wiarton. Together through the Rural Caucus, we have a louder and more commanding voice.

The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food is overseeing the $1.3 billion rollout of Growing Forward programs over five years. This adds to funding available for the demand-driven Business-Risk Management program. More than $3.5 billion has flowed to producers under this program since it was launched in 2007.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan allocated $500 million for the Agricultural Flexibility Fund and $50 million to strengthen slaughter capacity in various regions of the country. The plan’s Canadian Agricultural Loads Act provides loan guarantees up to $500,000 for real estate and $350,000 for all other eligible loan proposals.

The government has put into place rural programs to support the environment, regional development, the forestry sector, infrastructure, small business, not-for-profits agencies, affordable housing and financially vulnerable Canadians. Life in rural areas differs greatly from urban living, and this government is making sure that geography doesn’t limit access to services.

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The audio version of Garry's December 28, 2009 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here