Once again, good evening.

Less than two months ago, the people of Canada gave our Party a strengthened mandate to lead Canada during the most serious global economic crisis in generations. Since that time we’ve acted, acted on our commitment to keep cutting job-killing taxes — business taxes; acted to expedite the constructions of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure; acted to strengthen Canada’s already strong financial system by injecting tens of billions of dollars of liquidity into Canada’s credit markets; acted to ensure a long-term structural balance in the federal budget; and acted to demonstrate leadership by proposing to reduce taxpayer subsidies for political parties.

Our actions have been proactive. They have been responsible. And they have been in keeping with our commitments to Canadians. More so, these actions represent our first steps. In the next couple of months, the government will present a budget that outlines our next move forward a plan that will include expected stimulus measures worked out in consultation with Canada’s provinces, and in concert with the other members of the G20.

While we have been working on the economy, the opposition has been working on a backroom deal to overturn the results of the last election without seeking the consent of voters. They want to take power, not earn it. They want to install a government led by a Party that received its lowest vote share since confederation. They want to install a prime minister, Prime Minister Dion, who was rejected by the voters just six weeks ago. They want to install a coalition that they explicitly promised not to support.

The liberals campaigned against a coalition with the NDP precisely because they said the NDP’s policies were bad for the economy. And now they plan to enter into the very same coalition under the guise of strengthening the economy. Stéphane Dion and the NDP plan to make this happen by accepting the support of a Party that wants to destroy the country. The opposition has every right to defeat the government. But Stéphane Dion does not have the right to take power without an election.

Canada’s government should be decided by Canadians — not backroom deals.

It should be your choice — not theirs.

And it’s now up to all of us to stand up for the right of Canadians to choose their own government. On December the 8th, the House of Commons will have an opportunity to vote on the opposition’s attempt to overturn the results of the last election. Until then, we will continue governing. In the meantime, Canadians can make their views known on this issue to all their Members of Parliament.

Thank you very much, and I hope you will all have a good weekend