Hon. Peter Kent and Harper Government highlight accomplishments as fall legislative session comes to an end

December 11, 2009

Delivers Real Results to Canadian Families
 
OTTAWA – The Harper Government ended the Fall session of the House of Commons by highlighting the accomplishments the Government has delivered to Canadian families.
 
“Over the past few months, our Government has continued to deliver real results that Canadian families have come to expect,” said Canada’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister, John Baird.  “Our priority has been to help Canadian workers and their families during the global economic downturn by implementing Canada’s Economic Action Plan.  While there are tentative signs of a recovery, now is not time to change course. Our Government is committed to fully implementing our two-year plan to ensure recovery fully takes hold.”
 
Minister Baird was joined at a news conference today by the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development;  the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Canada; and the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services.
 
The Harper Government successfully implemented an ambitious agenda responding to the priorities of Canadians and also tabled its 4th Report to Canadians indicating that 97 per cent of Canada’s Economic Action Plan is complete.
 
Another important accomplishment during this session was increasing the supplement earnings of low-income workers through the Working Income Tax Benefit.  When combined with other tax measures, such as the Home Renovation Tax Credit, the Government is taking action to help Canadian families, workers and those affected most by the economic downturn.
 
The Government is also helping to make communities safer from violent criminals and predators by introducing important legislation that will protect children from online predators and protecting all Canadians from white-collar crime.
 
During the session, Canada also strengthened its leadership role and asserted Canadian values on the world stage.  Specifically, the Government opened up new opportunities for Canadian businesses in emerging markets such as India and China.
 
“We have accomplished much during this past session, but our work is not complete,” said Minister Paradis.  “We must follow through on our plan, including fully implementing Canada’s Economic Action Plan, to help those who need it now and to lay the foundation for future growth.”
 
Thornhill has also reaped the benefits of the Economic Action Plan, with millions of dollars in Infrastructure funding including the renovation of the Thornhill Community Centre, St. Robert’s High School sporting facilities and numerous road way improvements-Thornhillers are seeing that we are ‘getting things done’! We have been working with the Town of Markham, the City of Vaughan and the Regional Municipality of York to further improve the standard of living of all of our residents. The Federal Government has assisted small businesses like RK Publishing with a hefty grant. The recipient Ruby Kaplan commented at the ceremony: "Through its contributions to RK Publishing, the Government of Canada has helped to offer Canadian students a new approach to learning French." The Federal Government has also created the Work-Share program. This is an adjustment program designed to help employers and workers avoid temporary layoffs when there is a reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the control of the employer. The measure provides income support to workers eligible for Employment Insurance benefits who work a temporarily reduced work-week.

Local resident and business owner Pirjo Roininen stated that; ‘Workshare has been very beneficial to both management and workers.  It is a program that we, as management, were able to offer to our workers during this very serious downturn in the global economy.  It allows us to show our staff that we do care about their welfare despite not being able to offer them the work hours they were accustomed to.  We are able to retain our skilled staff until the time circumstances improve. Our workers are able to continue working at their usual job in a familiar environment.  Because they are partially compensated for lost time, they can afford to remain with us’.
 
Our community office is here to help with your concerns and questions at 905-886-9911 and I look forward to seeing all of you at our annual New Year’s Levee on Sunday January 10, 2010 at the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre at 501 Clark Avenue West between 2 and 4 pm!

All the best,

Peter