British Columbia’s Minister of Finance Colin Hansen will be the keynote speaker at an Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce Good Morning Abbotsford event on Friday, Sept. 4 at Cascade Community Church.

Hansen will be speaking in Abbotsford just three days after he tables the first post-election budget on behalf of Gordon Campbell’s BC Liberal government.

“We are extremely pleased to have the Minister choose Abbotsford as one of his first post budget speaking engagements,” said chamber president Sir James Barlow.

“The budget comes down in the afternoon of the 1st and Minister Hansen will speak here on the morning of the 4th prior to a Vancouver Board of Trade engagement later that day.”

It is anticipated that in addition to highlighting the budget, Hansen will touch on the recently introduced Harmonized Sales Tax initiative which is scheduled to begin July 1, 2010.

“This event will provide chamber members and guests unprecedented access to the Finance Minister,” noted chamber executive director David D. Hull.

“This will be a focused event that will give the Minister an opportunity to detail changes to the provincial budget and sweeping changes to consumer taxation. A considerable time will be allotted for what is expected to be a plethora of very detailed questions from the business community.”

Tickets are limited due to space to only 200 and are expected to sell out quickly given the heightened business community interest in the newly minted budget and the nuances contained within the HST program.

Registration and networking begin at 7 a.m. with a hot Fraser Valley breakfast being served at 7:30 a.m. at Cascade Community Church gymnasium, 35190 Delair Road. The Minister will begin his address at 7:45 a.m.

Tickets are available on a first come first served basis online at www.abbotfordchamber.com or by calling the Chamber office at 604-859-9651. Tickets are $20 for members and $29 for non-members. Tickets will not be available at the door.