On Parliament Hill

This week, Conservative MPs from across the country will meet to select an interim leader for the party. The person selected will lead the party until a formal leader is chosen at a national leadership convention.

The meetings this week will not only be an opportunity to look forward, but also a time to reflect on the past nine years. We will say good-bye to friends that were not re-elected on October 19th and we will have the opportunity to thank them for their great service to our country.

It will also be a time to thank Prime Minister Stephen Harper for all of his hard work and sacrifice over the past decade and more. As he said last week, he embraced the public life because he believed that Canadians who work hard should keep more of their hard-earned money. He believed that that government should manage the people’s money the way that they manage their own.

In part, due to his efforts, our country stands tall. On election night he was quoted as saying “We have built a Canada that is stronger than ever, our economy is growing, and new jobs are being created. The budget is balanced and federal taxes are at their lowest in 50 years. We are poised to seize the opportunities that come with free trade access to Europe, to the Americas, and now to the Asia Pacific.” These accomplishments will be a large part of the legacy Prime Minister Harper leaves as Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister.

This week will indeed be an emotional and reflective one. However, we will work hard to come out of it stronger and as a united team who will continue to work diligently for the best interests of Canada; still the best country in the world.