TORONTO - New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham swept into the financial capital of Canada on Tuesday with a pitch designed to woo business to his province, which he boasted is becoming "the most cost-competitive business environment in the country."

In a speech brimming with promises of low corporate tax rates, Graham urged the business leaders at the Economic Club of Canada luncheon to consider expanding their ventures eastward.

"We're not here asking for handouts from Bay Street," he said. "We're here inviting you to join us on the road to growth."

New Brunswick will cut its corporate income tax rate from 13 per cent to eight per cent by 2012, Graham said, which will make it the lowest in the country.

"That's what I call a competitive edge for the province of New Brunswick."

The province's budget earlier this month projected $144 million in tax cuts, but also a $741-million deficit.

Graham said his message was a simple one: "Come to New Brunswick for lower taxes and stay for higher profits."

He also congratulated Ontario on moving toward harmonizing its sales tax with the GST, saying it has worked for his province.

"New Brunswick welcomes Ontario as a partner in harmonization," Graham said. "In fact, we did it 12 years ago."

In addition to being business-friendly, Graham said New Brunswick is also a great place for individuals because of personal income-tax cuts. He took particular aim at former New Brunswick residents, saying he wants to bring them back home.

Many Maritimers were in the audience, as Graham noted at the beginning of his speech. He asked how many people in the audience of about 150 graduated from the University of New Brunswick, and about a dozen raised their hands.

Graham said after the speech that he felt the business message was well-received, noting a number of prominent business leaders came up to him expressing interest in making investments in New Brunswick.

Kenneth Stewart, who heads Stewart Advisory Inc., a Toronto-based, global corporate advisory firm, said Graham's pitch was a good one.

"Yes, I would certainly consider doing business in New Brunswick," Stewart said.

"I'm favourably impressed by their recent budget and by their strategic initiatives, by the priorities they seem to have set. They have a bias toward investing (and) relevant spending. They're looking toward the future."

Meanwhile, a delegation of Saskatchewan politicians arrived Tuesday in Toronto to show off a recently revamped program that gives recent graduates up to $20,000 in tuition rebates.

Saskatchewan has managed to escape the worst effects of the recession and is among the few provinces expected to see growth this year.