Rural communities are home to nearly one third of Canadians. Rural areas are often sparsely populated, remotely located, and made up primarily of small communities. But they are by no means homogeneous. Rural communities differ from east to west and even within regions, each having its own needs and concerns with different problems that require unique solutions. The needs of single-industry towns or areas facing depopulation, for instance, are different from those of rural communities that are close to urban markets.
Though rich in natural and human resources, rural areas nevertheless face formidable challenges.
The economies of rural areas are primar-ily based on agriculture and natural resource industries, such as energy, mining, forestry, fisheries, and hunting. Some 1.25 million Canadians in more than 500 communities are
directly employed in the agriculture, energy, mining, forestry, and fishery sectors, which also provide significant indirect employment in the rest of the country. In1995these primary industries represented 44 percent of total Canadian exports, valued at$109 billion, and added $73 billion to our positive trade balance. Canada's agriculture and natural resource industries are an important part of Canada's economy, providing social and e~onomic benefits to all Canadians. We must continue to provide an attractive investment climate for these natural resource industries.
Rural Canadians are proud of their way of life and deeply attached to their communi-ties. They want to maintain and expand their local economic opportunities so that their families can continue to thrive in rural Canada.
The Liberal government believes that all
Canadians should have an equal chance to take advantage of new economic opportuni-ties. Innovation is vital for rural Canada, as it is for the rest of the country. As rural Canada deals with such pressures as sustainable resdurce management, liberalized trade, and technological change, the ability of rural communities to adapt to change and inno-vate becomes increasingly important.
Rural Canadians need the tools to enable local enterprises to grow, create wealth, and provide jobs for their residents. Local leaders must envision and enact their own economic development strategies to diversifY their economies and capitalize on new business opportunities. A new Liberal government will help rural communities take full advantage of economic development opportunities by supporting their efforts to increase the value of their natural resources, to acquire and use
newtechnology, and to strengthen their small andmedium-sized businesses.
The Liberal government is incorporating the needsof rural communities into federal policyand program decisions. We believe that thegovernment of Canada must maintain a strong presence in rural communities to ensurethat these areas receive the best possi-bleprograms and services.Initiatives like the Community Futures D.evelopment Corpora-tions have been very successful in promoting small-businessgrowth and job creation in ruralCanada.The federal government is also developingthe Rural Policy Initiative to facili-tate research and analysis on rural issues.
This initiative will support conferences, work-shops,and seminars that encourage dialogue and partnership on rural issues.A new Liberal government will continue programs that foster economic development at the community
level, rural development through the Farm Credit Corporation, and successful adaptation to technological change.
Improving Access in Rural Communities Advanced telecommunications and informa-tion technologies are changing the way people and communities connect with one another. The Liberal government believes that rural Canada needs a strong information technology infrastructure. People living in rural Canada should have access to the same enabling tools and information resources as their urban counterparts.
The Liberal government has created the Community Access Program to give rural areas better access to the Internet.This is a cost-shared initiative that covers up to 50 percent of the costs of establishing public Internet access sites in rural and remote
RURAL CANADA
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45communities, to a maximum of$30,000
per location. CAP provides Canada's rural communities with affordable public access to the information highway, which they can use as a tool for economic development, job creation, and community-building. A new Liberal government will expand the Commu-nity Access Program by$30 million over the next three years, as proposed in the 1997 budget, to complete the Internet connection of all5,000 communities in Canada that have populations of between400 and50,000
people.
A Liberal government will continue to break down barriers to communications that put rural communities at a disadvantage.
We will work to ensure that modern telecom-munications services and infrastructure are widely available to rural Canadians, now and in the future.
I Portfolio
Rural Canada
Enhanced rural telecommunications services will provide these communities with a direct route to a broad range of federal services now accessible by Internet, including:
• Strategis (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca) -business and market information for indi-viduals and businesses across Canada.
• Canadian Rural Information Service (http://www.agr.ca/policy/cris) - information on government programs and services, upcoming workshops and conferences, and rural tourism opportunities, all designed specificallyfor rural Canadians.
• GeoExpress(http://www-nais.ccm.nrcan.
gc.ca:8000jhenei njdemojgeoexp-e.htm) geographicallyreferenced data on natural resources to assist rural communities in plan-ning their economic development.
• CanWorkNet (http://www.canworknet.ca) -an online one-stop-shopping service provid-ing access to labour market, career,social ser-vice,and community information.
• Youth Info-line (1-800-935-5555)and Youth Resource Network website (http://
www.youth.gc.ca) - access to the Youth Employment Strategy,and to a range of pro-grams to assist youth across Canada.
• Canada Business Service Centres (http://www.cbsc.org) - a single-window access point for both federaland provincial small-business programs and services.
Communications technology is providing rural communities with improved access to distance learning and health services. The TeleLearning Network, funded by the federal government and coordinated by Simon Fraser University in Burnaby,B.C., will help provide access to postsecondary education and retraining for people in remote areas.The proposed Canadian Health Information Network will give rural Canadians the same access to information about clinical research, emerging health issues,and best practice models as that available to urban Canadians (see page 76).
Agriculture and Agri-Food
For many of Canada's rural communities, agriculture is a foundation industry. Since com-ing to office in 1993,the Liberal government has worked with communities, producers, processors, industry, and other governments to build our agricultural sector into one of the finest in the world. We have invested in measures that will increase agricultural trade, enhance productivity, improve efficiency, attract investment, and promote sustainable growth. As a result, agri-food exports in-creased by approximately 23 percent between 1994 and 1996, to reach an all-time high of $18.8 billion.
The agricultural sector has experienced substantial changein recent years.This government has introduced transitional measures to help the industry adjust to changes in long-standing government programs. Now we are working with all stake-holders to create a positive economic climate,
to remove barriers to growth, to expand trading opportunities, and to encourage investment in Canada.
A re-elected Liberal government will concentrate on providing even greater oppor-tunity for rural communities. We will focus on helping rural communities adapt to change, and on assuring the sustainability of our soil and water resources for future generations.
A new Liberal government will build upon the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration and other agricultural resource, environment, adaptation, and rural development programs to create a National Rural Initiative. This initia-tive will also build on the existing locallybased adaptation councils,and will provide funds and technical assistance to stimulate adaptation and sustainable development efforts through community-based initiatives.
Access to Capital
Businesses in rural communities have differ-ent financing needs than businesses in urban centres because their activities are different.
But like the cities,rural areas often depend on ready access to capital for business develop-ment and job creation.
The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) provides assistance for small and medium-sized business development.
The Farm Credit Corporation supplies specialized and personalized financial services to farming operations, including family farms, and to those businesses in rural Canada,including small businesses,that are related to farming. A new Liberalgovernment will provide $50 million in additional capital