Senator Donald Oliver

NOVA SCOTIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS

29 JUNE 2009

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, Daurene Lewis (Principal of the Campus) for your warm introduction. It's a pleasure to be here at the Institute of Technology Campus today.  I'd like to offer my thanks to the Nova Scotia Community College for hosting us today, and I'd also like to thank Premier Dexter for joining us this morning. 

Nova Scotia is home to many of Canada's premier post-secondary institutions, like the Nova Scotia Community College, and has been a hub for research, innovation and the advancement of knowledge in Canada.  

I don't need to tell any of you that we meet today at an historic moment. While, it is not yet in the history books, we are living through a period in our history that we all will remember for years to come.

To some degree we have all experienced the affects of the global economic downturn.  It is easy to become preoccupied with the news we read in the paper or see on television, about the economic challenges that we face daily.

Today we are announcing an economic stimulus piece that is partially in response to that news, but really means so much more for the future of colleges and universities in Nova Scotia.  

In developing Canada's Economic Action Plan, our government consulted with thousands of Canadians and found a remarkable degree of consensus. From Campbell River to Corner Brook, to right here in Halifax, Canadians agree we must do what it takes to keep our economy moving, and to create new opportunities for the future.

Our Government has reduced taxes, paid down debt and invested in roads, bridges, waterways, community centres and other important projects. We have also significantly invested in our researchers and innovators.

In both Canada and the United States, infrastructure investment has been identified as essential to short-term economic stimulus.

Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, our government is taking immediate action by launching one of the largest national infrastructure programs in our country's history. The strategic investments we are making are the foundation of our nation's future economic prosperity.

Part of that undertaking is why we are here today. In our budget consultations, we heard from the presidents of our post-secondary institutions. National organizations - such as the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges - they told us that, above any other priority, they needed federal funding to address the deteriorating state of their research infrastructure. We listened and acted.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am delighted to announce that under our new Knowledge Infrastructure Program, the Government of Canada, is investing in a two-year, $2-billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at post-secondary institutions across Canada. 

 The Program provides funding to support deferred maintenance, repair and expansion projects at universities and colleges, and responds directly to the need indicated by post-secondary institutions to improve existing campus infrastructure across the country.  The Nova Scotia Community College received $17.5 million from the Federal Government and the largest project, valued at $6 million are for renovations which will take place at IT campus.

These investments provide significant short-term economic stimulus in communities across Nova Scotia. These projects will put many Canadians to work. They will also ensure that those at the forefront of research and innovation in Canada - our students, researchers, technicians and professors - will have the conditions they need to succeed.

We know that there are many ways that we can support our researchers and innovators in Canada.  As a people, Canadians are talented, and creative, imaginative and productive people.  Our next great success story, like the Blackberry may be in development right here the Nova Scotia Community College.

Our Knowledge Infrastructure investments focus on projects ready to start construction.  By focusing on timely projects, we are making sure building takes place while the need for economic stimulus is greatest.  These investments will create jobs for people now, while providing the infrastructure that universities and colleges need for years to come.

During this trying time, as I travel our country what has struck me most is the resilience of Canadians.  We know that we are dealing with a recession that did not start here. Yet we are pulling together as a nation to achieve short term recovery, and working even harder on our long term future prosperity.

Canada is a land rich in resources, but there is no greater resource than our people. We are a dynamic nation of hard-working and inventive men and women.  It is our people who will drive our new economy.

In Canada, and certainly here in Nova Scotia, the knowledge economy is growing, it complements our traditional industries like manufacturing, agriculture, mining or forestry in fact it enhances them.  Our economy today benefits from new discoveries developed in university and college labs like we are funding today into consumer and industrial products made in Canada. 

Investments like the ones from the Knowledge Infrastructure Program help give our students the support they need to get their ideas off the drawing board and into the market; where those ideas greatly enhance our standard of living and create opportunities for all of us. 

With Canada's Economic Action Plan, we are meeting the great challenge of our time.

The Knowledge Infrastructure Program will help ensure that the right conditions are in place for Canada to be the best country in the world in which to live, work and invest.

Congratulations to the Institute of Technology Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, and to all of the Knowledge Infrastructure Program recipients across Nova Scotia. 

Thank you.