MONCTON, N.B. - Prime Minister Stephen Harper used an infrastructure funding announcement in New Brunswick on Wednesday to tout Canada's efforts to deal with the global recession.
Harper, who recently travelled to London for meetings with the G20 group of nations, told an audience in Moncton that Canada is ahead of the curve in dealing with the need to stimulate the economy.
"I gotta tell you that at the G20 we are way ahead of a lot of other countries," the prime minister said.
Harper added that while many countries are announcing stimulus budgets, they are "a lot less advanced" and less certain about how to get the money out quickly than "we are in Canada."
"The level of advanced work we've done and the level of co-operation between various levels of government in this country is, I think, way ahead of most other countries in the world," said Harper.
The premier told reporters that he was in the middle of a series of cross-Canada infrastructure announcements to show Canadians that his government is intent on putting people to work during the construction season.
Harper appeared with New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham to announce $10 million on another project to develop the province's scenic Fundy Trail.
The money is earmarked for a section of parkway that will eventually connect Route 111 at St. Martins to Route 114 at Alma, near the entrance to Fundy National Park.
The new section will be dotted with scenic lookouts and beach access points.
The funding announcement included $5 million from each government.
"This is a multi-phase project," said Harper. "It's ultimately the province that has determined the price tag for these things and the sharing formula is 50/50, out of the base funding component of the Building Canada Program."
Frank Wilson, president of the Fundy Trail Development Authority, said the $10 million would see about five kilometres of the trail completed.
"That's everything, the walking trail beside it, the cycling trail and the parkway for the motor vehicles," said Wilson.
The second phase of the Fundy Trail development began last year with the opening of a bridge at Big Salmon River.
The total cost of the project is $58 million -- $46 million for the trail and $12 million to upgrade existing highways.
