Ron Cannan, MP for Kelowna-Lake Country says the upcoming session will be an important one for Okanagan constituents.

“Obtaining funding for some key projects in our riding and the Valley is a necessity,” said Cannan, particularly given the fact that an election could be called in the Spring.

Cannan, spent much of the week in Ottawa attending Caucus meetings and preparing for the next session which begins Monday the 29th, 2007.

“The big question on everyone’s mind is whether or not there will be a Spring election,” says Cannan.

“It’s not what my constituents want. Kelowna-Lake Country residents, like most Canadians, want our Government to work together but the reality is that we need to be prepared for whatever happens,” said Cannan.

Cannan who addressed Caucus this morning urging the Prime Minister and Cabinet to make the Okanagan Valley a priority, said money for the expansion of the Airport is critical and time sensitive as is getting a full service Passport office in Kelowna.

Cannan also used his time in Ottawa this week to meet again with Passport officials.

“The recent surge of applicants lining up for passports only fuels our argument that we need a full service passport office,” he said. Passport Canada staff are working beyond capacity and admit that they did not expect such a huge increase in volume. They were expecting a 20% increase and it was actually a 55% increase.

Cannan says officials also confirmed that the demand was particularly high in the Southern Interior. “It confirms what we have been saying all along that we need a full service passport office in Kelowna,”said Cannan who tabled a motion at the end of last session calling for the government to establish a passport office in Kelowna.

“We need to make some concrete progress on these files this session, said Cannan. We are in a period of growth in the Valley and we want to be able to take economic advantage of the momentum. I am pushing for this in our upcoming budget.”

For more information please contact: (613) 992-7006 or 250 863-0463