A busy fall session of Parliament has concluded, one that saw good progress made on our mandate received from Canadians May 2.
After over 100 speeches delivered on Bill C-13, the Keeping Canada’s Economy & Jobs Growing Act, our government’s Budget 2011 implementation bill received Royal Assent. Maintaining our focus on jobs and economic growth, Bill C-13 accomplishes the following:
- Provides a temporary Hiring Credit for Small Business to encourage additional hiring,
- Expands tax support for clean energy generation to encourage green investments,
- Simplifies customs tariffs in order to facilitate trade and lower the administrative burden for businesses,
- Extends the accelerated capital cost allowance treatment for investments in manufacturing and processing machinery and equipment for two years to support the manufacturing and processing sector,
- Eliminates the mandatory retirement age for federally regulated employees in order to give older workers wishing to work the option of remaining in the workforce,
- Legislates permanent annual funding of $2 billion for the Gas Tax Fund for predictable, long-term infrastructure support to municipalities,
- Enhances the Wage Earner Protection Program to cover more workers affected by employer bankruptcy or receivership,
- Increases the integrity of the charitable sector to provide more confidence by introducing a package of integrity measures designed to help combat fraud and other forms of abuse,
- Introduces a new Family Caregiver Tax Credit to assist caregivers of all types of infirm dependent relatives,
- Removes the limit on the amount of eligible expenses caregivers can claim under the Medical Expense Tax Credit in respect of financially dependent relatives,
- Introduces a new Children’s Arts Tax Credit for programs associated with children’s artistic, cultural, recreational and developmental activities,
- Helps apprentices in the skilled trades and workers in regulated professions by making occupational, trade and professional examination fees eligible for the Tuition Tax Credit,
- Improves federal financial assistance for students,
- Closes numerous tax loopholes that allow a few businesses and individuals to avoid paying their fair share of tax.
The Fair Representation Act also received passage through the House of Commons. This legislation, now before the Senate, will move every single Canadian and province towards representation by population. This is good news for those of us living in fast-growing communities as every Canadians’ vote, to the greatest extent possible, should carry equal weight. Under the new formula Ontario gains 15 additional seats, with Alberta and British Columbia each gaining six.
Also passing through the House of Commons was legislation to keep our streets and communities safe. Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, fulfills our pledge to Canadians to crack down on child sexual offenders and on drug dealers who target selling drugs to children. With the passage of this Bill we are one step closer to achieving this. Bill C-10 re-introduced a number of reforms including the Protecting Children from Sexual Predators Act, the Penalties for Organized Crime Act, Sébastien's Law that protects the public from violent young offenders, the Ending House Arrest for Property and Other Serious Crimes by Serious and Violent Offenders Act, the Eliminating Pardons for Serious Crimes Act, the Keeping Canadians Safe (International Transfer of Offenders) Act, the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, the Preventing the Trafficking, Abuse and Exploitation of Vulnerable Immigrants Act and the Increasing Offender Accountability Act. During the last election we promised Canadians to pass the Safe Streets and Communities Act during the first 100 days sitting days of Parliament and we are delivering on that promise.
Our government has taken many significant steps to protect the safety and well-being of girls and women. This includes appealing an Ontario Court of Appeal decision that would relax Ontario’s prostitution laws, enacting three specific Criminal Code offences regarding trafficking in persons, launching a $10 million strategy to help address the disturbing number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women, introducing new, easier options for vulnerable adult victims and witnesses who have experienced violence to testify in court, launching a Citizenship Guide that articulates the Canadian principles of the equal and fair treatment of women and girls and approving more than $30.4 million in Status of Women funding for projects to end violence against women and girls.
Finally, with much anticipation our Government has unveiled plans for the celebrations of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee-the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to the throne as Queen of Canada. The only other time Canada celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of a reigning sovereign was for Queen Victoria in 1897. By supporting this most historic and significant anniversary, our Government is delivering on its commitment to reinforce our heritage through active celebration of our institutions that define who we are as Canadians.
As always I welcome your suggestions and comments. I can be reached by phone at 905-953-7515 or by email at Lois.Brown@parl.gc.ca
