Newmarket-Aurora MP Lois Brown today highlighted local and national accomplishments achieved over the past year.
“I am pleased at the continued progress we made in 2010 on local job creation, funding for infrastructure, and cooperation between all levels of governments,” said MP Brown. “All three were part of the mandate I was elected on two years ago, and great strides have been made on all accounts. Millions of federal dollars have flowed into Newmarket and Aurora, stimulating economic activity and creating new employment opportunities within both private and public sectors,” said MP Brown.
Local projects receiving federal funds include:
- $2,300,000 for Newmarket’s new Operations Centre
- $1,580,000 to upgrade Aurora wastewater infrastructure
- $2,102,456 for a Shared Digital Infrastructure collaborative
- $398,000 to build a Newmarket Soccer Dome
- $1,400,000 to repair the Aurora GO bridge
- $803,807 to upgrade Aurora’s recreational infrastructure
- $1,698,621 to renovate the Newmarket Old Town Hall
- $246,800 to retrofit municipal buildings in Aurora
- $766,666 for upgrades to Davis Drive
- $1,400,000 for the Tom Taylor Place housing complex
- $374,225 to expand the York Curling Club
- $3,442,810 in 2010 Gas Tax Funds
“On the national front, our government took important steps to protect Canadian consumers, make our streets and communities safer, and improve the lives of families,” said MP Brown. These efforts include:
- Introducing legislation to protect children against sexual predators and crack down on child pornography;
- Introducing legislation to crack down on human smugglers who abuse the generosity of our immigration system;
- Introducing legislation that would end sentence discounts for multiple homicides, putting a stop to early parole for murderers;
- Introducing the Standing Up for Victims of White Collar Crime Act, which would impose tougher sentences on those convicted of fraud;
- Passing legislation that lengthens the time required before a person is eligible to apply for a pardon, including for those convicted of serious personal injury, manslaughter, and child-related sexual offences;
- Introducing legislation that would further reform the pardons system by replacing pardons with a more restrictive “record suspension” and making those convicted of sexual offences against minors ― or those convicted of three indictable offences ― ineligible for a record suspension;
- Passing the Tackling Auto Theft and Property Crime bill to crack down on auto theft and trafficking of property that is obtained by crime;
- Prohibiting the sale of flavoured cigarettes and banning polycarbonate baby bottles that contain bisphenol A;
- Announcing plans to launch new, stronger messages for cigarette and cigar package labeling to encourage smokers to quit, as well as establishing a toll-free quitline;
- Passing the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act to help keep Canadians and their children safe from various types of hazardous consumer products, including cribs, jewellery and toys;
- Endorsing a joint framework with provinces and territories to curb childhood obesity, and setting joint goals to reduce Canadians’ sodium intake;
- Reducing the tax burden for families by introducing the Canada Child Tax Credit;
- Supporting self-employed workers by providing access to certain EI benefits.
“Furthering the economic recovery and job creation in Newmarket and Aurora will continue to my priority going forward,” said MP Brown. “Nationally, providing economic stability and financial security for Canadians while workitowards a balanced budget will be a key focus.”
