56c0 Ted Menzies, MP - Macleod - Did you know...? - Edition 100
Did you know...? - Edition 100
October 06, 2011
Did You Know That… The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, took an important step forward in deepening Canada’s economic ties with Southeast Asia by adopting a joint declaration of cooperation with ASEAN, the Association of South East Asian Nations, during an official visit to Indonesia. The joint declaration calls for further cooperation among governments and businesses and represents a commitment by Canada and the ASEAN countries to explore other ways to deepen economic ties. This joint declaration is our first trade and investment arrangement with ASEAN and is another example of our government’s job-creating, pro-trade plan. Canada's ambitious free trade plan is opening new markets and creating opportunities for Canadian business and jobs for Canadian workers. Since 2006, Canada has concluded free trade agreements with nine countries (Colombia, Peru, Jordan, Panama, Honduras and the European Free Trade Association states of Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein). Overall, we are in discussions with close to 50 countries, including free trade negotiations recently launched with Ukraine and Morocco. For more information: http://www.international.gc.ca/media_commerce/comm/news-communiques/2011/281.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

Did You Know That… The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced that your Government will take additional action to better ensure that Canadian families have confidence in the household products they use every day. Your Government received a strong mandate to complete our economic recovery and protect the health and safety of Canadian families. And that is exactly what our Government is doing by ensuring that Canadian families have confidence in the products they use every day. Since taking office, we have implemented a number of measures to protect Canadians from hazardous substances. Your Government has updated 40-year-old laws that now allow us to remove hazardous substances from shelves to protect families. We will reinvest in the Chemicals Management Plan, benefiting Canadian consumers and families, while also protecting the environment. Your Government will continue to ensure that the products Canadians use do not pose a hazard to their family or the environment. For more information: http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/index-eng.php

Did You Know That… The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, signed an international agreement to combat the spread of trade in counterfeit and pirated goods. In the June 2011 Speech from the Throne, your Government committed to enforce and defend intellectual property rights and help balance the needs of creators and users to foster innovation- and knowledge-based prosperity. Counterfeit and pirated goods are an increasingly global problem, which require a globally-coordinated solution. The signing of this historic international agreement and your government’s reintroduction of copyright legislation demonstrates the Government’s commitment to combatting counterfeit and pirated goods, and protecting innovation- and knowledge-based prosperity, which are key to Canada’s future economic success. For more information: http://www.international.gc.ca/media_commerce/comm/news-communiques/2011/280.aspx?lang=eng&view=d

Did You Know That… The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, introduced the Keeping Canada’s Economy & Jobs Growing Act. This legislation includes key elements of the Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan—A Low-Tax Plan for Jobs and Growth. Canadians gave your Government a strong mandate to stay focused on what matters – creating jobs and economic growth. That is why we are staying the course with our low-tax plan to create jobs and growth. The Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan will preserve this country’s advantage in the global economy. For more information: http://www.fin.gc.ca/n11/11-093-eng.asp

Did You Know That… Your government introduced the Budget Implementation Act II which includes measures to eliminate the Per Vote Party Subsidy. In November 2008, your government committed to ending this tax on voting that will save the Government of Canada around $30 million per year. In 2006, your government took big business and big labour out of politics with the Federal Accountability Act. We are acting quickly to continue bringing transparency to government by phasing out the direct subsidy of political parties. We think money should come from voters. Not from corporations, not from unions, and not from government. Political parties should do their own fundraising, not live off of taxpayer funded handouts.

Did You Know That… Forbes, the influential business magazine, has ranked Canada as the best country in the world to do business. Your Government is focused on what matters to Canadians – creating jobs and promoting economic growth. Forbes magazine’s ranking of Canada as the best place in the world for business to grow and create jobs is yet another example of our global economic leadership, which includes: the strongest job growth record in the G–7, with nearly 600,000 net new jobs created since July 2009; the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasting Canada will have the strongest overall economic growth in the G-7 over the next two years; the lowest total government net debt-to-GDP ratio in the entire G-7, by far; the World Economic Forum ranking Canada’s financial system as the soundest in the world for the fourth consecutive year; and Moody’s renewing Canada’s AAA credit rating due to our “economic resiliency, very high government financial strength, and a low susceptibility to event risk”. Forbes magazine also declared that “Canada’s economy has held up better than most”, praising our low-tax plan for Canadian businesses. But Canada is not immune from the economic turbulence facing the global economy – especially from Europe and the United States. That’s why your Government is working hard to implement the Next Phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan – and its job-creating measures like the Hiring Credit for Small Business. For more information: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2011/10/03/the-best-countries-for-business/

Did You Know That… The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, announced the preliminary tally of funds donated by Canadians to registered Canadian charitable organizations working in East Africa on drought relief. Your Government, along with all Canadians, are deeply saddened by the extent of suffering of more than 13 million people in East Africa. Canadians once again demonstrated their compassion and generosity by continuing to support the people of East Africa suffering from this catastrophic drought. Donations made by Canadians to registered Canadian charitable organizations, from July 6 to September 16, 2011, were matched by the Government of Canada through the East Africa Drought Relief Fund. In recognition of this overwhelming generosity your Government will contribute another $70 million to the crisis. We continue to work with our partners on the ground to ensure Canadian aid delivers results: providing access to food, safe drinking water, proper sanitation and hygiene, as well as emergency health care, including disease control. Canada was one of the first countries to respond to this crisis and, in recognition of the generosity of Canadians, we are showing our leadership again. Your Government will continue to provide humanitarian assistance and take action to help those who are suffering in East Africa. For more information: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/NAT-10571542-F8E

Did You Know That… The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced new measures to support Canadian families by providing consumers with more information on energy drinks. Your Government is committed to supporting Canadian families. Canadian parents and families deserve to have easy to read labels on drinks they buy. Presently in Canada, energy drink labels are not clear to consumers on caffeine intake. For example, they do not always have the nutrition facts table. These measures include requiring energy drinks to have the nutrition facts table on their label and limiting the amount of caffeine in individual drinks. Your Government will continue to take action to protect the health of Canadians and to keep our families safe. For more information: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/_2011/2011-132-eng.php

Did You Know That… The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, announced that Canada's Enhanced New Veterans Charter is now in effect. Your Government made a commitment to our Veterans that the New Veterans Charter would evolve with the needs of the men and women it serves. We followed through on that promise with the enhancements to the New Veterans Charter. We understand that the needs of today’s Veterans are often complex—whether these men and women served our country here in Canada or overseas in such troubled places as Afghanistan. The enhancements that are now in effect provide additional monthly support for Veterans who are seriously ill and injured, as well as flexible new payment options for recipients of a disability award. Your Government will continue to stand up for the rights of those who served and those who continue to serve Canada. For more information: http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/department/press/viewrelease/1221
Privacy Statement
0