11 December 2009 Ottawa, Ontario
The Harper Government remains committed to getting results on the things that are important to Canadians.
Here are just a few accomplishments that government has made for Canadian families over the past few months:
Taking action for Canadian workers and their families by:
- Delivering our Economic Action Plan which has resulted in 12,000 projects across the country, and about 8,000 projects having already begun.
- Committing a full 97% of the first year of funding for the Economic Action Plan.
- Securing House passage of legislation to offer self-employed Canadians additional security through voluntary access to Special benefits in the Employment Insurance system including maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits. This important legislation is now before the Senate.
- Providing long-tenured workers who lose their jobs with additional Employment Insurance support by increasing the benefits they are eligible for by up to 5 and 20 weeks.
- Securing House and Senate passage of legislation to implement the Home Renovation Tax Credit.
Delivering safer communities for Canadians and their families by:
- Cracking down on identity theft by making important changes to the criminal code to put in tougher penalties on those who steal personal identification to commit fraud.
- Stopping criminals from exploiting loopholes in the justice system by ending the practice of getting 2-for-1 or 3-for-1 credit for time served either before or during their trial.
- Introducing legislation to protect our children by cracking down on child pornography by making it mandatory for Internet and e-mail service providers, as well as social networking sites, to report suspected child pornography being delivered through the Internet.
- Introducing legislation to ensure that criminals who commit multiple murders do not receive volume discounts by authorizing judges to add consecutive periods of parole ineligibility for criminals found guilty of multiple murders.
- Introducing legislation to protect Canadians from white-collar criminals by creating a 2-year mandatory minimum sentence for those who commit fraud over $1 million and requiring courts to examine restitution for victims where possible.
- Introducing legislation to ensure that criminals serve the sentences they have been given by stopping the practice of Accelerated Parole Review which enables day parole for those who have only served one-sixth of their sentences, and virtually automatic full parole after they have served just one-third of their sentences.
- Securing House passage of legislation to provide mandatory minimum sentences for serious drug crimes, important legislation that is now before the Senate.
Protecting consumers and helping to keep our families safe and healthy by:
- Introducing tough new legislation on consumer product safety, important legislation that has been gutted and delayed by an unelected Liberal Senate.
- Defending Canadian families against unfair financial practices by introducing a new Code of Conduct for the Canadian Credit and Debit Card Industry.
- Protecting the safety of Canada's food supply by taking action on the recommendations of an Independent Investigator, providing for improved coordination between the federal government and the provinces when a crisis arises.
Opening up international opportunities for Canadian businesses by:
- Introducing legislation to implement a Free Trade Agreement with Jordan, while pursuing new agreements with several partners, including the European Union, India, Ukraine, Morocco and the Caribbean Community
- Opening doors for Canadian business in China with the opening of six new trade offices.
- Providing new pathways for business in India by rebuilding the Canada-India trade relationship, and taking action such as opening a trade office in Ahmedabad and Kolkata, in addition to Canada's existing six trade offices in India.
- Opening up new opportunities for young people to gain valuable international work experience through Youth Mobility Agreements with Poland, Spain and Slovenia and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Working to create new and better jobs for Canadians by:
- Increasing the eligibility for the Automotive Innovation Fund which will help to increase investment in research and development of environmentally friendly vehicles, in turn helping to create new, better jobs in the Canadian automotive industry.
Taking action for Rural Canada by:
- Protecting honest farmers and hunters by supporting legislation that will scrap the failed long-gun registry once and for all.
- Ensuring continued access to rural postal delivery with a new Service Charter for Canada Post which protects postal service to rural regions.
- Increasing real capacity in the meat packing industry for beef and pork farmers with a $50 million investment in the industry.
Helping vulnerable communities dependant on forestry by:
- Working to expand international market opportunities for Canadian wood products through the Canada Wood Program to Southeast Asia and other markets.
- Working in partnership with FPInnovations and provincial governments to support the development of new and improved Canadian-made wood products and manufacturing processes.
Helping Canada lead on the world stage by:
- Leading international efforts for the 7th year at the UN General Assembly to address human rights violations in Iran.
- Rebuilding Canada-India trade by advancing discussions on a trade agreement during the Prime Minister's recent trip and concluding negotiations on a nuclear cooperation agreement shortly thereafter.
- Taking part in an important official visit to China and building important relationships with one of the world's economic powerhouses, while ensuring that a frank, open and mutually respectful dialogue on fundamental values like freedom, human rights and the rule of law is maintained.
- Playing a key role in institutions like the G8, the G20, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
- Announcing that Canada will be hosting the important G8 and G20 summits in 2010
