The Liberal Party – and Canada as a whole – has been fortunate to have as leader a man like Paul Martin, a man whose passion for his country knows no bounds.
Mr. Martin has left an indelible mark on Canadian politics and life, and his contributions will not soon be forgotten.
As Finance Minister, Mr. Martin ushered in an unprecedented era of balanced budgets and led the charge in eliminating the deficit, making Canada deficit-free for the first time in three decades.
He brought in the largest tax reduction in Canadian history – $100 billion over five years, reformed the CPP to secure the future pensions of Canadians for at least the next 75 years, and introduced the National Child Benefit to help children in poverty. These measures, and more, have had an enormous impact on the lives of people across the country.
As Prime Minister, Mr. Martin built on his economic achievements as Finance Minister to maintain strong growth in the Canadian economy, with more jobs and a better business environment for Canadians.
During his tenure, Mr. Martin made important progress on the issues that matter most to Canadians and displayed an unwavering commitment to making life better for people from coast to coast to coast.
Among his minority government’s many major accomplishments are the 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care, which is helping to reduce wait times and improve health care for Canadians across the country, and the New Deal for Cities, which is helping to give cities and communities the resources they need to succeed as Canada’s engines of economic growth.
The Liberal child care plan, including agreements reached with all the provinces, represented a bold step forward in providing better care for our children and supporting Canadian parents.
As well, Mr. Martin worked to ensure clean air, land and water for future generations through his government’s climate change initiatives and ratification of the Kyoto Accord.
Through strong relations with our neighbours around the globe, increased foreign aid, humanitarian activities and support for the less fortunate, Mr. Martin enhanced Canada’s stature and reputation throughout the international community.
As Mr. Martin steps down as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, he will be remembered for his vision and achievements, but above all else he will be remembered for his love for this country and its people.