Former Canadian prime minister greets people during stop in Kincardine Wednesday afternoon

The weather cleared up just in time for former Canadian prime minister Paul Martin to make a stop at the Tim Hortons in downtown Kincardine, Wednesday afternoon.

With Allan Thompson, federal Liberal candidate for Huron-Bruce, Martin greeted people at the coffee shop and signed a couple of posters and banners for his fans.

During a brief meeting with local media, Martin said he was in Kincardine to support Thompson. The entourage had stopped in Port Elgin Wednesday morning, and was headed for Goderich for "An Evening With the Rt. Hon. Paul Martin and Huron-Bruce Federal Liberal Candidate Allan Thompson" Wednesday night.



When asked about the state of politics today, Martin said it's important to have regular economic updates, and the current federal government is failing to supply those. "Those updates tell us where the country is headed; and this government doesn't do them."

As for the budget, Martin, a former finance minister, said the budget should never be delivered later than February. "And it should never wait for political reasons," he emphasized. "It's nonsensical that they're still waiting for it."

Patting Thompson on the back, Martin said the Liberals are going to win the 2015 election because of outstanding candidates such as Thompson. "Canadians want change. We're going to win this riding."

Martin said he enjoyed his tour of Huron-Bruce. "I'm from Windsor so I'm not that far from here," he said. "My wife's family has a cottage in Goderich. Huron-Bruce is important. I really want Allan (Thompson) to win."

He stressed that this year's federal election will be run on economic growth. "Allan knows what's needed for rural Ontario. He's been dragging me all over this riding, and showing me what's important."

"People deserve a proactive, effective government," said Thompson. "They deserve somebody who will listen. They need the voice of Huron-Bruce in Ottawa, not the voice of Ottawa in Huron-Bruce."
 

Martin was prime minister of Canada from 2003-06 and finance minister from 1993 to 2002.
 

During his tenure as finance minister, he erased Canada’s deficit, subsequently recording five consecutive budget surpluses while paying down the national debt and setting Canada’s debt-to-GDP ratio on a steady downward track. He was the inaugural chairman of the Finance Ministers’ G-20 in 1999.
 

As prime minister, Martin set in place a 10-year, $41-billion plan to improve health care and reduce wait times; signed agreements with the provinces and territories to establish the first national early learning and child care program; and created a new financial deal for Canada’s municipalities. Under his leadership the Canadian government reached an historic deal with Aboriginal people of Canada to eliminate the existing funding gaps in health, education and housing known as the Kelowna Accord.
 

After leaving politics, Martin founded the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative focusing on elementary and secondary education for Aboriginal students and the Capital for Aboriginal Prosperity and Entrepreneurship (CAPE) Fund, an investment fund investing in Aboriginal business.  
 

He is married to Sheila Ann Cowan, and they have three sons and four grandchildren.