For some time now, the overall confidence of Canadians’ in our parliamentary system has been in decline. With more than a decade of experience in politics and now as Government House Leader, few parliamentarians know this better than Hon. Tony Valeri.
On October 14th, Minister Valeri will argue that this diminished confidence in governments to manage the affairs of the public is not uniquely related to our current minority parliament, nor is it a uniquely Canadian circumstance. Furthermore, the decline in the public’s confidence is not restricted to public institutions alone, but is clearly felt in the private sector as well. We only have to look at the fallout from events such as the collapse of Enron or the current public outcry about rising gasoline and oil prices to see this. Looking at the factors behind the public’s diminished confidence in both the public and private sectors; Mr. Valeri believes, at the root, we will find the same issues: ethics, transparency and accountability.
Speaking, as one of this country’s leading parliamentarians, Mr. Valeri will address these issues head-on. He will also talk about how our government and others are responding. Like clean water, clean air and a liveable environment, Mr. Valeri believes strongly that good government, based on social trust and cohesion is a necessary condition for Canada to be a good society. As Government House Leader, Minister Valeri is challenged with helping to restore this trust and cohesion.
The Honourable Tony Valeri represents the riding of Hamilton East – Stoney Creek, Ontario and was first elected to the House of Commons in 1993. He was appointed Minister of Transport in 2003 and Government House Leader in 2004. Before entering federal politics, Mr. Valeri was president of Canadian Financial Group Ltd. Mr. Valeri has a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from McMaster University. He and his wife Terri have two children and live in Stoney Creek, Ontario.
