This past June, Canada proudly hosted the world at the G8 and G20 Summits in Muskoka and Toronto. Prime Minister Stephen Harper convinced world leaders to take historic action to better strengthen the economic recovery and to support the world’s most vulnerable.

As industrialized countries begin to recover from the global recession, Canada is in an enviable position. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted Canada’s economy will perform better than any other country in the G7 both this year and next year.

In fact, Canada weathered the global recession last year better than virtually every other industrialized country in the world, thanks in part to the actions our Conservative Government took before the global recession. By cutting taxes for families and seniors, reducing the GST from 7% to 6% to 5%, and by responsibly paying down government debt, we made sure Canada was in a strong position to face the global recession head on.

As the global recession emerged, our Government’s Economic Action Plan provided extraordinary action when Canadians needed it most. We are investing in Canada’s roads, bridges, parks, public transit, wastewater facilities and post-secondary schools while helping to create jobs for Canadian workers. With 400, 000 jobs created since July of last year and seven consecutive months of economic growth in 2010, Canadians can see that our plan is working.

Led by Prime Minister Harper, the G20 leaders committed to the Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth as a tool moving forward. Each country has re-affirmed its commitment to complete its economic stimulus spending as planned. In Canada, our government’s stimulus spending will wind down at the end of this year and we will focus on returning to balanced budgets.

The G20 countries have likewise committed to halving their deficits by 2013. Recognizing that global trade and a strong financial system are drivers for global growth, we agreed to resist protectionism for another three years and took steps toward strengthening the global financial system.

At the G8, our Government continued to deliver on its international development commitments to protect the world’s most vulnerable. Prime Minister Harper worked tirelessly to encourage G8 countries to boost funding to improve the health care of mothers, infants, and children under the age of five in high-risk developing countries. Canada alone will contribute $2.85 billion over the next 5 years to the $5 billion initiative.

Canada has a strong record of delivering on its promises. Already our Government is on track to double its international foreign aid to an all-time Canadian high of $5 billion this year.

Our Conservative Government is proud to host the world. And we are proud the world is looking to Canada for leadership and guidance to help secure a strong, sustainable and balanced economic recovery while providing unprecedented support to the world’s most vulnerable people.

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