Finance portfolio a ‘return to career roots’ for Joe Oliver
[attach]7659[/attach]Joe Oliver’s days are about to get much busier with his move to the powerful role of federal finance minister, but that should prove to be a good move for his constituents too, the Eglinton-Lawrence MP tells the Town Crier.
“Our first loyalty is to the people who elected us to serve in Parliament,” he said in a March 21 telephone interview, in which he said residents of Eglinton-Lawrence can expect to now be included in “broader” issues impacting on the city and the Greater Toronto Area that he will represent to the government.
Oliver, 73, who held the natural resources portfolio until he was tapped by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on March 19 to replace Jim Flaherty in finance, called the move a return to his roots.
A Bay Street investment banker, he served as executive director of the Ontario Securities Commission and president of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada before entering politics in 2011. He defeated Liberal incumbent Joe Volpe on what was his second attempt. Volpe survived a challenge by Conservative Oliver in 2008.
“I’m returning to my career roots,” Oliver said, describing how his familiarity with finance will be instrumental in the quest to help Canada “maintain its fiscal strength.”
While saying it is “too early for specifics,” he listed maintaining jobs growth and achieving a surplus in the next fiscal year as immediate goals.
“The national debate will be different as we get into a balanced budget,” he said.Reflecting on Canada’s relatively early emergence from the recent global recession, and with expectations of achieving a balanced budget in 2015, he called Canada “a great trading nation” and said the country’s solid financial position can be parlayed into “some interesting choices” in the year ahead.
“We don’t have to take the draconian steps other countries do, and take steps to reduce our social programs, because with a surplus we’ll be able to make some interesting choices,” he said.
The newly minted finance minister also said the looming municipal election provides opportunity for involvement in the GTA, regardless of who is chosen as mayor on Oct. 27.
“Our practice is to work with whomever is elected by the people,” Oliver said. “In the meantime, the city has a lot of issues and I’m there to play a role.”