Mr. Speaker, the leaders of the world's wealthiest countries are meeting in Halifax this week for the G-7 summit to discuss greater economic and political integration.
In this climate of global change we are witnessing the dismantling of barriers to commerce regionally, continentally and globally. This coupled with the changing nature of federalism in this country offers the maritime provinces the opportunity if not the necessity to redefine their role within Confederation.
For too long the common concerns of maritimers have been diluted on the national stage by far too much local parochialism. If the maritime provinces are to re-establish their economies in the context of the national or international marketplace strong leadership must be shown now to arrive at a true economic and by extension political union of the maritime provinces.
I call on the maritime political, business and economic leaders to take up the challenge to place the maritime provinces in the position to succeed as Canada continues to undergo profound periods of restructuring.