Definitive rural voice heard across the country
One year later, the voices and recommendations from the Rural Matters! Forging Healthy Canadian Communities national symposium continue to echo across the country.
“I have heard your message, Canada needs a plan to strengthen the rural economy. said Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of Canada's Official Opposition. "Canada needs a rural champion and policy must be developed to account for the uniqueness and diversity of Canada’s rural communities.”
"Rural communities across the nation have come together in an unprecedented manner. These recommendations will be the foundation of a new rural Canada, the result of which will be a stronger Canada," said the
Honourable Jack Hayden, Alberta's Minister of Infrastructure.
To date, over 5,000 copies of One Vision, Many Voices: How to Build A Sustainable Rural Canada have been distributed to federal and provincial leaders, decision-makers and other key stakeholders across the country along with letters, meetings and various presentations.
Prepared by the AAMDC and approved by the national Federation of Canadian Municipalities, One Vision, Many Voices both provides an overview of the symposium and proposed seven recommendations on how to create a sustainable rural Canada. The recommendations include providing stable and predictable funding, reducing the barriers rural Canadians have accessing post-secondary education, increasing high-speed connectivity along with creating a federal ministry to deal solely with rural and remote Canadain issues.
"These recommendations are about working together better as a nation to create a more sustainable rural Canada," said Donald W. Johnson, President of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties. "We wanted bring together the best experts and representatives from rural communities across the country, to listen to and put together a report that would form the basis in moving forward in bringing to the attention of all of Canadians, including the federal, provincial and territorial governments, the key fundamental role that rural Canada plays in the economic, social and cultural fabric of this great nation. We have been successful. The response has been almost overwhelming."
[Read more of what's being said about One Vision, Many Voices ]
[Download the Report: English | French]
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