Prime Minister, what a tremendous pleasure it is to be here with you tonight at this great and important institution.

You know, though, when you first invited me to attend tonight, I knew I would have to speak after you, and I almost said no because of it, had I known I’d have to speak after you and Frank, I would have definitely dismissed it because it is always an extraordinary pleasure to be able to hear you, a little more embarrassing when you're speaking about me in such glowing terms, but I very, very much appreciate it.

I’m very pleased to be here tonight with you, with Mila and with so many of your friends. I’m very honoured to be able to visit Brian Mulroney Hall.

The reality is he got to bring me into the replica of the Centre Block office, and the fact that I am now banished to the Mackenzie Tower in the West Block for the foreseeable future, as for the past three years and for the next ten or so, the Centre Block of Parliament is going to be under renovations, it was nice to spend a few moments in my old office as well as yours.

(Laughter)

Thank you for that introduction. It’s extremely generous of you to include me here tonight and to say such positive things about everything that we’re delivering and doing together for the Atlantic provinces and for all Canadians. I continue to be here for you, for this institution, and for everyone living in Atlantic Canada.

Again, it's a pleasure also to be here with so many other friends. Premier Houston, thank you for welcoming us here to your province. Sean, great to have you here at your alma mater. Minister Petitpas Taylor, Minister for ACOA, as well as Minister for Official Languages, it's wonderful to be here with you as well along with so many members of Parliament past and present, and people committed to service in communities across the country in so many ways. It is a real pleasure to be here with you all tonight.

Before I begin, however, I do want to offer my condolences to the community of Dauphin, Manitoba. 15 people died as a result of Thursday's bus crash, with many others in hospital. We are feeling for family, friends, neighbours, and all the loved ones of the victims. I know that the people of Canada, from coast to coast to coast, are keeping them all in our thoughts as we pray for recovery for those in hospital and solace for those bitterly mourning the loss of loved ones.

Dauphin is a small community like Antigonish. Communities like this are strong and resilient. It's the people who make them so, and when we support people and we believe in them, people can be there for their communities. That's what you did, sir, four decades ago, when your government created the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. It was an act of faith in the economic future of Atlantic Canada, an act that recognized the untapped potential of Atlantic Canadians. Thank you for that, on behalf of all Canadians, that Atlantic Canadians (inaudible).

(Applause)

But he was very good at seeing potential because he saw the potential of all of Canada when he signed, first, the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, and then negotiated and signed NAFTA. Brian, you and I are now small members of a very small club that knows what a juggernaut negotiating NAFTA actually is. Although, I would say, as you pointed out, you've had that experience twice now as you were incredibly helpful to me and to all of Team Canada as we were re-negotiating the deal over the past few years.

This trade deal has delivered extraordinary growth and millions of jobs, but we can never take it for granted. There will be a mandatory review of it in 2026, and with the presidential election between now and then, we're going to have to stay on top of things. So, Brian, stay healthy because we're going to need all hands on deck in 2026 just like last time, no matter who the president is.

(Applause)

Because we can never stop making sure that we're getting the best possible deal for Canadians and for the future in everything we do.

Today, we're here to look at how we can unlock economic growth for the next four decades and beyond, and let's be honest, as Brian pointed out, this is a very consequential moment we find ourselves in. To put it in terms people around here know well, we need to look at the future horizon with clear eyes and set our sails accordingly. The impacts of climate change are becoming more and more costly, even as people are still struggling with inflation and looking to leaders in government and in business to make sure that the benefits of economic growth are being shared fairly.

Putin's brutal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine continues to impact global food and energy prices. I was in Ukraine just last week and I addressed their national legislature where I reminded them that it was Canada's government in the early nineties, when you were in office, that was the very first to recognize Ukraine's independence as they continue to fight now for their democracy and independence, and that we as Canadians, all governments together, will continue to stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes for as long as it takes, because it's the right thing to do.

(Applause)

In this moment, it is critical that we all recognize that economic policy is security policy, is climate policy, is social policy. Everything is connected. We need to meet this moment and make sure that our economy is positioned to thrive in this future. Here's the great news, Atlantic Canada has all the right ingredients to succeed. Many of you will recall that it was in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador that our government signed the Canada-Germany Hydrogen Alliance last year. This deal will see Canadian companies exporting clean, renewable hydrogen to Germany as soon as 2025, creating great middle-class jobs and strong economies everywhere in this region.

Exporting clean energy means that we also have to produce and deliver clean energy here at home. In Nova Scotia, you have the expertise and the resources, and you have winds that blow all the time and some of the strongest tides on the planet. Last summer, I was here to announce an investment in a set of wind turbines and the batteries to store the clean energy they produce – enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes with affordable electricity.

Prince Edward Island is powered almost entirely by renewable energy; as a province it’s a leader in wind energy. Renewable energy is important, not only to preserve air quality, but also to reduce energy bills for families.

Currently in Canada, almost 84% of our electricity is already generated from non-emitting sources but we have to get to 100% by 2035, both for future generations and for great jobs right now, and of course, it is that last 16% that will be challenging and will require us all to work together. We need to get off coal to eliminate its harmful emissions. I don't have to tell you why. The East Coast has been profoundly affected by the impacts of climate change. Last year, Hurricane Fiona devastated communities in all provinces, and this June's forest fires have been terrifying and costly.

Just a few hours ago, I had the opportunity to see firsthand some of the impacts down in Hammond Plains, chat with first responders, community members who lost their homes, lost their pets, and were heartbroken and devastated, but the one thing I was hearing from those first responders, even as I was thanking them for their heroism and their incredible dedication, was concerns about next time, being prepared for the future, having the right equipment, having the right communications protocols, making sure that people are better ready to respond, because, yes, this had been some of the worst forest fires in history, but people know that extreme weather events are going to continue to happen with increasing frequency and we all need to both step up and be prepared for them, even as we minimize the impacts they'll be having decades from now on our kids and grandkids right across the country.

I know that all of you in this room as businesspeople also understand the solid case for clean power. In this day and age, a clean grid is absolutely essential for drawing in major investments. As the global marketplace races towards net zero, investors are flocking to regions where the energy that is generated and transmitted doesn't pollute. We saw it with Volkswagen's historic decision to build their first ever overseas EV battery plant here in Canada in St. Thomas, Ontario. The company looked carefully right across North America, and one of the reasons they came to Canada was because, in their mission to build clean cars, they're making sure their manufacturing uses clean electricity. We want to see investment like this coming to Atlantic Canada too. That's what our commitment to building the Atlantic Loop is all about. Just think of it, the East Coast could and should be a clean energy powerhouse, and this federal government will be there to help make it happen.

(Applause)

Because not only is it the fastest and most cost-efficient way to get off coal, it’ll also make sure that the Atlantic region has power to meet growing electricity demands.

In this year's budget, the federal government announced a 15% refundable tax credit for clean electricity generation, storage, and transmission projects between provinces. We're also making major clean electricity investments through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, including science-based offshore wind projects here on the East Coast in addition to funding for the Atlantic Loop, and let's be clear, getting off coal is not just climate policy, it's economic policy.

I know all of you here have looked at what's happening in the U.S. and in Europe and understand this economic imperative. We have a plan to grow a competitive economy with great jobs here and right across the country. It uses powerful tax incentives, targeted investments, and a predictable price on pollution that returns money to families. Indeed, people here will be getting their first rebates starting in just a few weeks. By setting this economic policy framework, we're attracting investments and driving clean innovation that makes us competitive in the global race for clean solutions.

It's important that we work together, including with the provinces and territories, to make sure Atlantic Canada has every competitive advantage possible. That's what I've continually talked with all four premiers about, so that we can give companies in the region a leg up and make sure that there are great jobs here, not just today, but for decades to come. We've got a great example of what investing in the clean economy can mean for workers right here in Nova Scotia. In March, I visited the Michelin plant over in Bridgewater. Plants like this are the lifeblood of small communities. We've all seen the hurt that follows if they close. So, keeping them is about supporting these communities and the workers who are at the heart of it all.

Well, for three generations, Canadian workers at Bridgewater have made it one of the top performing Michelin facilities in the world. Workers like Jason, who was a repairman that I met there, and Natalia, who got a job at the plant after coming to Canada from Ukraine about a decade ago. Our investment will not only reduce emissions at the plant but also modernize operations so they can help meet the global demand for EV tires. Workers and the surrounding community rely on the factory remaining strong. Conversations I had with workers about their pride in working for that plant but also the uncertainty of coming years, I think I got an earful of them about why EV tires are different than regular tires. It's a big deal. First of all, the torque is likely to strip off the outside of tires if they're not properly built. The noise is a thing too. I geeked out on this one. Because the engine is so silent, you hear the noise of the tires much more and they have to make quieter tires for it. It's also a lot more weight on an electric vehicle than on regular cars because of the batteries.

So, there's a whole level of technologies going in there, but it's important for Michelin as well that it can continue to invest in clean grid as it moves forward to draw and be competitive in the marketplace. Well, because of our investments, Jason and his co-workers, and the 9,000 person strong community of Bridgewater, can count on good, stable jobs for the next generation. Natalia actually came to Ottawa in March and was in the House of Commons when President Biden visited, which is just another way that your communities and your voices resonate in Ottawa.

One of the things we always need to remember is that economic growth isn't just about a big number on a bottom line. It's about creating opportunities for people and giving them a future to believe in, to invest in, so they, in turn, continue to invest in and build their communities.

Take our government’s commitment to affordable early learning and child care, for example. We launched this program two years ago, and one province in the region – kudos to Newfoundland and Labrador – has already achieved the target of $10 a day, and I know that the others have already managed to reduce fees by half. Thanks to this initiative, not only are families saving a lot of money, but women’s participation in the workforce is at an all-time high in Canada. In other words, there are more workers, more money for families and more opportunities for everyone.

We’re also making major investments in public health care, especially primary care. No matter where you live or how much money you make, all Canadians deserve quality medical care. And, in addition, we’re setting up a national dental care program. The Canada Dental Benefit has already helped to improve the dental health of more than 300,000 children, and these programs like health care, dental care and child care create the social stability that helps grow our economies.

And let's be very clear, those three initiatives that we put forward, $10-a-day child care, close to $200 billion investment to deliver metrics and real results through health care investments and dental care program that has already meant that 300,000 kids across this country have access to dental care when they didn't before, are not just social programs. They're economic programs that keep us competitive.

We talk a lot with international investors and they tell me regularly that in Canada, our greatest competitive advantage is not our critical minerals, not our two official languages, not our access to the coasts, not our tremendous natural resources, although those are all great. Canada's greatest competitive advantage is Canadians themselves. We are one of the best educated countries in the planet. We have a strong social safety net. We have healthy, forward-thinking, ambitious Canadians, strong in their communities, optimistic about the future, and that is something that companies around the world want to be part of in this time of tremendous uncertainty. Our strong middle class is the reason that companies from around the world want to come and build and grow here.

And this is a self-reinforcing policy because not only does it attract investments that further strengthen the middle class, it also helps Canada attract global talent and immigrants from around the world that, again, gives those same investors confidence in our potential. Canada is now the fastest growing country in the G7, number one in terms of population growth and number two, only to the U.S., in terms of economic growth, and already we've had higher than expected GDP growth in the first quarter.

Strong population growth is helping fuel economic growth, and Atlantic Canada is proof of that. Halifax, Charlottetown, and Moncton led the country in population growth in 2022, and since 2015, Atlantic Canada's overall population has grown by over 160,000 people, 15,000 of whom are immigrants. The programs and services Canada is providing is also helping newcomers thrive here and contribute to the Atlantic Canadian economy. We've seen incredible renewal in this region over the decades since ACOA was created. This is the legacy of Prime Minister Mulroney and Dr. Donald Savoie, and we can all be grateful for what their vision accomplished.

Brian, as we were standing earlier in that replica office, I delivered to you the original report that established ACOA dusted off and fetched from the archives of Canada to have a permanent home here at Mulroney Hall where it deserves to be.

(Applause)

But on the first page of that report, in the cover letter that Dr. Savoie wrote, he declared that you had put together the most comprehensive plan to promote economic development in Atlantic Canada that we had ever seen, and I'll tell you, 40 years later, that still holds true.

Thank you, Brian, for everything you did then and now for Atlantic Canada.

(Applause)

Right now, Ginette’s going to ask me for more money for ACOA, but that's okay.

(Laughter)

It's money well spent.

In 2016, our government launched the Atlantic Growth Strategy to further revitalize the region, and today, we see the successes of those initiatives as the East Coast has become a place with great colleges and universities like St. FX that are doing leading research, a place teeming with startups and entrepreneurs, a place that is attracting talent from all over the world, a place that is more diverse and full of opportunity than ever.

One of the great Canadian stories of the past eight years comes from right here in Antigonish, the story of a Syrian refugee, yes, and a lot of you know exactly where I'm going with this, who came to Canada after his family's chocolate factory was bombed? Tariq Haddad arrived in 2016 and with his expertise, founded a new chocolate company called Peace by Chocolate. They got support from ACOA and have now created many, many jobs right here in this town. This is not just the story of Tariq or of Antigonish. This is a story of Canada, a country that is welcoming, a country that invests in people, a country that not only sees the future but seizes it, a country where everyone has a real and fair chance at success, a country that is rooted in community.

Throughout our history, Canadian political leadership has never lost sight of that, and today, that's more important than ever.

We have enormous challenges ahead of us: climate, war, supply chains, global inflation. We need to take a realistic approach to meet these challenges, and we need to put people at the centre of what we do.

We need to meet the challenges of today with strength and optimism. We need to be fiscally responsible, yes, but at the same time, we need to be unrelentingly ambitious to seize every opportunity we can for our workers and our economy.

Brian, there seem to be two kinds of politicians today, those who want to burn things down and those more like you were, constantly wanting to build things up. Well, our government is and always will be focused on how we can invest in people and in the future of their communities, and that's what we'll continue to do every day to help the Atlantic Canadian economy keep growing, ensure that every region of the country prospers, and help build an economy that works for all Canadians.

Thank you very much, my dear friends.