Did you know...? - Edition 15

October 30, 2009

That… Chandler Blott, a grade nine stude from Claresholm, will get the opportunity to meet Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper after winning a national contest. Take Our Kids to Work ™, presented by The Learning
Partnership and  Scotiabank, launched a national online photo contest. After a tremendous response, Chandler was chosen winner for the 6 week Ultimate Dream Job Photo Contest. With a dream of one day becoming a manga artist - a Japanese inspired comic designer - Chandler will be spending Take Our Kids to Work day, Wednesday, November 4th, with the leader of our country, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper in Ottawa.
 
That… Your Conservative Government’s legislation to end the practice of granting 2-for-1 credit for time served has received Royal Assent. This is an important achievement in our Conservative Government’s tackling-crime agenda. Because of our action, courts will no longer be able to give 2-for-1 credit for time served when sentencing criminals. Now the rule will be 1-to-1, to a maximum of 1.5-to-1 in exceptional cases, and in such cases, the courts will have to justify the exception. Canadians support our Government’s belief that criminals must serve a sentence that reflects the severity of their crimes. Our Government’s action will increase Canadians’ confidence in our justice system.

That…  The Conservative Party of Canada launched an advertising campaign to raise awareness about Bill C-391, Candice Hoepnner’s Private Member’s Bill to scrap the long-gun registry. The campaign includes a series of special radio commercials urging local voters to call their M.P and make their voice heard on this important issue. A second-reading vote to scrap the long-gun registry will take place on November 4, 2009. The Conservative Party is running this campaign because many Opposition MPs think they can have it two ways: they say they want to scrap the long-gun registry when at home in their ridings, but they say they support keeping it when they're in Ottawa. The ads are available at www.conservative.ca/C-391. In the media, an anonymous source linked this ad campaign to plans to win a majority in the next general election. The implication that we are electioneering is regrettable and inaccurate.  This is a long-standing position of the Conservative Party and passage of Ms. Hoeppner's repeal bill (C-391) is the sole objective of our advertising. 

That… The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, released an important reform plan for the federal private pension legislative and regulatory framework. This plan includes the results of Ted Menzies' one-year research group work on comprehensive pension reform. The package includes measures to enhance protections for plan members, reduce funding volatility for defined benefit plans, make it easier for participants to negotiate changes to their pension arrangements, improve the framework for defined contribution plans and for negotiated contribution plans, and modernizes the rules for investments made by pension funds. For further information, http://www.fin.gc.ca/n08/09-103-eng.asp

That… Our Conservative Government will take action to address the problem of sentence discounts for multiple murders. Under the current system, individuals convicted of multiple murders serve their parole ineligibility periods concurrently. The family of a murder victim should not be left to feel as if the life of their loved one doesn’t count. Our Conservative Government is standing up for victims and protecting Canadians by keeping criminals behind bars and off our streets. For more information visit: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/news-nouv/nr-cp/2009/doc_32450.html

That… Prime Minister Harper will be making two international trips in the coming months. From November 16 to November 18, the Prime Minister will visit India and from December 2 to December 6 the Prime Minister will visit China. The upcoming trips to India and China will provide an opportunity to build stronger, more dynamic partnerships with both countries. India has one of the world’s fastest growing economies and trade between India and Canada is increasing. China also has one of the world’s fastest growing economies and is Canada’s third largest export destination after the United States and the United Kingdom. The strength of ties between Canada and these two countries is also reflected in the estimated one million Canadians of Indian origin and 1.2 million Canadians of Chinese origin.

That… The Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP) is an economic stimulus measure designed to support infrastructure enhancement at colleges and universities across Canada. Funding decisions for the Knowledge Infrastructure Program have been made in cooperation with provinces, territories and colleges and universities across Canada. The data show that 61.34% of funds have been committed to projects in Opposition-held ridings. This is because most large colleges and universities tend to be in urban ridings, held by the opposition parties. Smaller institutions are usually found in rural or suburban ridings which are often held by the Conservative Party. Our Government is focused on the economy, creating jobs and providing economic stimulus which is exactly what Canadians want and expect.