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3 <br />A word of caution - if history has taught us anything, it is to be careful about <br />making large bets on a low loonie. Goods sold into the U.S. do become <br />more favourably priced, enabling products grown or manufactured in our <br />region to be more attractive. However, as the Canadian dollar rebounds, <br />any price advantage can quickly evaporate. The sustainability of Canadian <br />export markets must be a function of product quality and value-added, and <br />not at the whim of currency fluctuations. <br />We seem to be facing a national sense of anxiety, fueled by geopolitical <br />tensions and economic stagnation. <br />How do we in Essex County combat this malaise? How will we position our <br />region for economic prosperity? How will we stimulate job creation? How do <br />we attract investment? How do we keep the best and brightest minds in our <br />midst? Questions I repeatedly hear. <br />My response? By focusing on those things that made our communities <br />successful in the past - we need to continue to get our fundamentals right <br />and we must, I repeat, we MUST reignite a spirit of collaboration and <br />engagement and promote an environment that will foster innovation. <br />I have mentioned this in years past, but I believe it bears repeating - <br />municipalities rarely create jobs. Our focus as municipal leaders is to put in <br />place conditions favourable for attracting investment. Three of the key <br />environmental conditions that can be controlled locally are property taxes, a <br />business friendly attitude and customer service. <br />I believe Essex County and its municipalities have hit the mark on all three <br />accounts. <br />First and foremost, I am proud to say Essex County has its financial house in <br />order. <br />Standard and Poor's, the Corporation's Bond Rating Agency has reaffirmed <br />the County's credit rating at AA with a stable outlook. In arriving at this <br />conclusion, Standards and Poor's highlighted the County's strong financial <br />position, no debt, long-standing life cycle capital replacement program and <br />XX pay-as-you-go" philosophy for funding capital and infrastructure <br />requirements. <br />At the recent Good Roads Conference, EKOS Research presented data <br />indicating that Canadians strongly supported infrastructure becoming a <br />heightened spending priority for all levels of government. This same study <br />