Did you know...? - Edition 2

July 24, 2009

Did You Know....?  

That…As of July 21st, 2009, the Government of Canada will have invested more than $21.8 million in infrastructure stimulus funding throughout the riding of Macleod! Federal and Provincial contributions coupled with municipal and other contributions in local infrastructure improvements in Alberta has provided the first steps to get shovels in the ground and to flow money faster for targeted infrastructure projects in Alberta communities in the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons.

That….This month marks the 3-year anniversary of our Conservative Government’s introduction of the $1200 per year Universal Child Care Benefit.  Three years ago we introduced the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB).  This benefit provides parents with $100 per month, per child under the age of six and parents are free to spend this money on their own family priorities.  Today 1.5 million families are receiving more than $2.5 billion in direct support through this new investment.

That….Canada has had missions to Washington, Mexico, Cuba, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Peru, Colombia, and the European Union to open and expand market opportunities for Canadian farmers and exporters.  We have opened beef markets in Colombia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, expanded key export opportunities for Canadian beef in Hong Kong, and we have signed an agreement to expand Canadian pulse crop exports to India.

That….Our Government has engaged in Free Trade Agreement negotiations with many trading partners including: the EU, Panama and the Canada-Central America Four Countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua). We have been actively participating in the WTO negotiations to eliminate export subsidies, reduce trade-distorting domestic support, and
increase market access for farmers.


That….The Government of Canada has provided $250,000 to the World Water Ski Championships at Lakes of Kastynstone. The 30th edition of the World Water Ski Championships is scheduled to take place from August 3 to 9, and this event offers entertainment for the entire family.  The scenic location is one of the best man made water ski facilities in the world and I am pleased that this year’s championships held near Calgary is receiving such a significant amount of money.

That….Since 2006, the Conservative Government has delivered for seniors by putting money back into the pockets of seniors who choose to remain in the workforce by increasing the GIS exemption by 7x its former amount, from $500 to $3500. Through investing $13 million to fight elder abuse and creating a Tax Free Savings Account to protect seniors’ retirement savings, the most important savings vehicle since the RRSP. Among these initiatives and many others, our Government has also introduced pension income splitting, saving some senior couples thousands of dollars in taxes.

That….Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our Government has increased the Age Credit by $1,000 for 2009 and beyond to allow eligible seniors to receive up to an additional $150 in annual tax savings.  Our Government will be providing $400 million over two years through the Affordable Housing Initiative for the construction of housing units for low-income seniors. We are providing seniors with $200 million in tax relief by reducing the required minimum withdrawal amount for 2008 from Registered Retirement Income Funds by 25 percent, recognizing the impact weak market conditions have had on retirement savings.

That….The Government of Canada is helping older workers and their families through challenging economic times by investing an additional $60 million over three years in the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, and by expanding the number of eligible communities to include older workers in small cities.