2009-12 (December)
BLAINE CALKINS – MP REPORT
December 2009
Year in Review
As 2009 draws to a close, it is a good time to look back on what we’ve accomplished over the last year. By far, the number one story over the last year has been the economy.
The impact of the global recession was felt by families and businesses throughout our Constituency and across Canada. It’s also been the number one issue for our Government and we acted quickly by implementing Canada’s Economic Action Plan. It contains support for workers and families, with targeted investments designed to help boost businesses in Canada. Here are just a few of our accomplishments.
We’re opening up opportunities for the Agriculture sector and Canadian businesses by:
•• Expanding international business opportunities through the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements with the European Free Trade Association and countries like Jordan, Colombia, Peru, and Panama.
•• Opening six new trade offices for Canadian business in China.
•• Providing new pathways for business in India by rebuilding the Canada-India trade relationship and opening an eighth trade office in India.
•• Opening up new opportunities for young people to gain valuable international work experience through Youth Mobility Agreements with Poland, Spain and Slovenia.
We’re 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.
We’ve taken action to help unemployed Canadians by:
•• Temporarily extending Employment Insurance benefits by 5 additional weeks, and increasing the maximum benefit period to 50 weeks.
•• Working to give self-employed Canadians the additional security of being able to opt-in to special EI benefit programs like maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits.
One of the best things we can do for Canadian families is to help keep workers on the job so we:
•• Extended work-sharing agreements to help companies avoid laying off skilled workers.
•• Investing in expanded domestic meatpacking capacity to help beef and pork farmers, and
•• Investing in new innovations in the forestry industry.
Protecting families has always been a priority of our Conservative Government and we are working to deliver new measures that will make streets safer by:
•• Passing a new law to end the practice of 2-for-1 and 3-for-1 credit for time served.
•• Working to bring in tough new laws to ensure criminals who commit serious crimes receive just sentences.
•• Introducing legislation to end the practice of allowing criminals to get out of jail after only serving one-sixth of their sentence.
When our Conservative Government decided to create Canada’s Economic Action Plan, we looked for innovative ways to help kick-start the economy. One of the most popular programs has been the Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC). It gives Canadians a chance to increase the value of their homes and earn a tax credit. With the deadline of February 1, 2010 fast approaching Canadians are gathering their receipts so they can take advantage of the HRTC.
There is strong evidence that the HRTC is helping to create jobs and stimulate the home renovation sector. After being one of the hardest hit industries at the start of the global economic recession, over 11,000 jobs were created in this sector this past October alone. Local plumbers, electricians, builders and contractors are all finding work.
Our Economic Action Plan is also delivering the largest infrastructure stimulus investment in Canada’s history. Throughout the Constituency of Wetaskiwin work is underway to repair roads and bridges; refurbish water treatment plants, rinks and recreational facilities. I’m pleased with the action our government is taking to create new jobs and protect existing ones in our Riding with these practical infrastructure investments.
While we hope that the worst of the international economic downturn is behind us, you can be sure that our Government will continue to work for all Canadians and help strengthen our economy in the New Year.
Please contact my Constituency office if you have any questions or concerns on any federally related matters, postage free, at: #6, 4612 - 50th Street, Ponoka, T4J 1S7; tel: 403-783-5530; toll free: 1-800-665-0865 or visit my web site: www.blainecalkinsmp.ca.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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