Notes for an address by

The Honourable Lynne Yelich
Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification

Western Economic Partnership Agreement Funding Announcement

Corresponding Document: News Release (2010-07-27)

Check Against Delivery

Thank you, Mr. Lauvstad. [emcee].

Premier Selinger;

Mayor Therien;

Dr. Henning;

Mr. Goodman;

Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning.

I am delighted to be here on behalf of the Government of Canada.

Flin Flon, the City Built on Rock, is at the heart of Northern Manitoba’s lake country, and the magnificent lakes, beaches and scenery are just a few reasons visitors flock to this area.

Canada’s natural resources and their associated industries are the foundation of a community’s and region’s prosperity.

The success of any economy also depends on a skilled and educated workforce.

To this end, earlier this year, our government provided $920,000 to the University College of the North (UCN), under the Community Adjustment Fund, or CAF for short.

The goal of this investment was to enable UCN to construct and equip the Northern Manitoba Mining Academy with facilities for training and research in mining.

Today, in keeping with that initiative, I am proud to reiterate Premier Selinger’s announcement.

The Governments of Canada and Manitoba, though the Western Economic Partnership Agreement, or WEPA for short, will provide the Northern Manitoba Sector Council with more than $1.7 million.

This funding will enable them to establish and equip two underground mining simulator training stations: one in the new Northern Manitoba Mining Academy being built here in Flin Flon; and the other in Vale INCO’s Thompson training facility.

Manitoba’s mining industry is a key contributor to the provincial economy providing some 5,400 direct jobs.

The metallic mining industry anticipates a shortfall of skilled workers in the next two to five years as its aging workforce retires and competition to recruit and retain skilled workers continues.

This funding will help the Northern Manitoba Sector Council provide the necessary technical training to address this shortage as well as the mining industry’s needs to recruit and retain highly-skilled workers in the sector.

I am proud that our government can help deliver opportunities that enable communities like Flin Flon continue to prosper.

Our investment in projects like this one will help our region withstand the current economic climate.

To realize the hopes Canadians hold for themselves and their families, the economy must remain our government’s single most urgent priority.

We will continue our work creating and protecting jobs, building infrastructure, easing the tax burden on families, supporting Canadians who have lost their jobs, helping threatened industries, and laying the foundations for our future prosperity.

And as seen here today, our government is committed to ensuring we succeed in today’s competitive global marketplace.

Together we are all working to build a stronger West for a stronger Canada.

Thank you.