Mr. Speaker, continuing the debate today I would like to talk about health. Our health depends on safe and healthy food and I would like to remind the House that the agricultural industry in my riding is one of the largest in southeastern Canada.
The riding of Essex and the surrounding area has an ideal growing climate. It is situated on a flat peninsula, jutting into the United States farther south than northern California. The growing season is the longest in Canada, averaging 212 days, with 350,000 acres of rich fertile and relatively flat farmland. There are 3,000 farms and over 400 acres of greenhouse production, producing everything from apples and tomatoes to flowers and cacti.
Farmers provide an annual yield of fruits and vegetables, legumes and grains totalling over $200 million annually. Today more than 50 food and beverage processing plants account for over $1 billion in shipments.
Our farmers take pride in nurturing the soil and producing the freshest and healthiest produce possible. To assist the farmers in my riding of Essex and elsewhere we will use the upcoming World Trade Organization negotiations, including those on agriculture, to help build a more transparent rules based global trading system, one that ensures a level playing field, provides better access to world markets for Canadian companies in all sectors and respects the needs of Canadians, our culture and the environment.
I would like to remind the House that agricultural production and its future is the very soul of this nation. The Liberal government has been and will continue to be a very strong supporter of agriculture.
As the throne speech stated, Canada's ability to adopt innovative environmental practices and technologies will increasingly be a part of Canada's strength in the 21st century.
Just yesterday Canada's leading automakers announced a new fuel endorsement program designed to encourage gasoline retailers to sell fuels that meet strict specifications, including lower sulphur, positive combustion chamber deposit controls, no heavy metal additives and enhanced driveability characteristics.
Those retailers who meet these specifications will be able to obtain a licence to use the automakers' choice logo and designation. To quote General Motor's president Maureen Kempston Darkes: “If all vehicles on the road in Canada today could access automakers' choice gasoline, it would be the equivalent of eliminating the smog-causing emissions from almost two million cars and light trucks”.
This will positively affect all Canadians and my constituents by reducing the already unacceptable levels of air pollution in Windsor and Essex county.
We will go further. By improving our physical infrastructure for the 21st century we will not only aid trade and economic growth, we will ensure that we have clean air and water.
The government will work with other levels of government and the private sector to reach by the end of the year 2000 an agreement on a five year plan for improving physical infrastructure in urban and rural regions across the country. This agreement will set out shared principles, objectives and fiscal parameters for all partners to increase their resources directed toward infrastructure. It will focus on areas such as transport, tourism, telecommunications, culture, health and safety, and the environment.
Tourism is a multibillion dollar industry in Windsor and Essex which attracts day-trippers and vacationers by bridge or tunnel to an uncrowded, relaxed and safe destination. Tourism accounts for our fourth largest industry, with 12% of the workforce or 16,300 people employed in accommodations, food service, amusement and recreation. The Ambassador Bridge is North America's number one international border crossing, with over 10 million vehicles per year travelling between our two great nations. Municipalities in my riding and individual companies have communicated to me the importance of creating a better highway system to ensure the safety of our citizens, the efficient movement of our trades and goods, and to increase the movement of people to our tourist attractions.
With the millennium approaching, Canada is preparing for the arrival of the 21st century and its immediate future. We cannot speak of the future without looking to our children. This government recognizes that the viability and economic strength of this nation depend on the opportunities we give our children today.
If Canada is going to be the place to be in the knowledge based economy of the 21st century, young Canadians, our leaders and innovators of tomorrow, must be equipped with state of the art high tech skills. As well, they must have access to the tools and educational opportunities which will help them apply their creative talents and hone their skills. Our goal is to give today's young generation of Canadians, no matter where they live, a shot at personal success in the knowledge economy, at a job with a future that pays well, and at becoming our best and brightest.
SchoolNet has connected every public school and library in Canada to the Internet. Canada is the first nation in the world to accomplish this. The community access program has ensured that we will have public Internet sites connected in 10,000 rural and urban areas by the year 2000 and Computers for Schools, whose goal of providing 250,000 computers for Canadian schools, is 60% complete.
The throne speech reaffirms that we will build on this strong foundation and use the world leading high tech infrastructure we are putting in place, not only to enhance the skills and opportunities of young Canadians, but also to broaden their understanding of their fellow Canadians and the Canadian experience.
Canada is on the right track. The nation's finances have been restored and we are enjoying the longest economic expansion since the 1960s with the creation of 1.7 million jobs since we took office. As the nation's finances have improved, the government has begun to deliver broad based tax relief totalling $16.5 billion over three years. As the nation's finances continue to improve, the government will further reduce taxes to increase the disposable income of Canadians, enhance innovation and risk taking, and create a more robust economy. In its next budget the government will set out a multi-year plan for further tax reductions.
I have had my opportunity to comment on the throne speech and the vision the government has unveiled to bring our strong nation into the next millennium. I hope that my constituents will take the opportunity to give me their views at the prebudget consultation I will hold at the Essex Civic and Education Centre on November 9, 1999 at 7.00 p.m. Together we can build a stronger Canada for the 21st century.