As 2010 comes to a close, we reflect on an eventful year in Canada.

This year, our economy continued its steady recovery out of recession. Budget 2010 aimed at cautiously and carefully nurturing the existing trend toward prosperity.

Now in its second year, Canada’s Economic Action Plan laid out the budgetary goals of creating and protecting jobs, feeding growth and getting us back on track for future and balanced budgets.

Canada remained the envy of many industrialized countries around the world as our economy was strengthened through employment initiatives, tax incentives and infrastructure projects.

This year’s budget saw a freeze on the salaries of the Prime Minister, his ministers and all Members of Parliament, in effect until 2013.

At the beginning of this year, our economic focus was on helping citizens through tax relief and job creation. These goals have placed our economy in an even better position as we head into 2011.

As one of the groups hit hardest by the economic recession, our farmers stand to benefit greatly from support at the government level.

The Canadian Agricultural Loans Act gave an added $1 billion in loans to farm families and cooperatives.

This money and other tax incentives and financial assistance programs introduced to benefit the agriculture industry does not go unappreciated, as many of our agriculture and livestock producers work to recover from the natural disasters and flooding that plagued our riding this year.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz paid a visit to Yorkton in July to assess the damage and ensure our farmers they are not being neglected in their time of crisis.

As the year comes to an end and we turn our sights and aspirations toward 2011, I would like to turn my attention to the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan.

Since becoming chair of this committee in October, I have worked to make observations and recommendations on how to best proceed in achieving our goal of instilling a lasting atmosphere of peace and democracy in Afghanistan.

As our current commitment to military presence in Kandahar comes to an end in July, we find ourselves with the responsibility of determining how we should proceed with our mission.

This year was not without its challenges, but as Canadians, we stood tough in the face of adversity and worked toward overcoming any hurdles. I look forward to 2011 and continuing to represent the people of Yorkton-Melville as we continue to make Canada a prosperous and free nation for all.

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