March 29, 2012
Michelle Rempel, MP Calgary Centre-North: Jobs, Growth and Long-Term prosperity focus of Economic Action Plan 2012
Economic Action Plan 2012 takes significant steps to:
- Encourage entrepreneurship, innovation, and world-class research with over $1.1 billion in significant investments for research and development, $500 million for venture capital, support for increased public and private research collaboration, and much more.
- Improve conditions for business investments with responsible resource development streamlined for „one project, one review‟; expanding trade to open new markets; keeping taxes low, and more.
- Invest in training, infrastructure and opportunity for Canadians by extending the Hiring Credit for Small Business; investing in programs to help youth, Canadians with disabilities, aboriginals, and workers over 50 get into the workforce; reforming the EI system to better promote job creation and remove disincentives to work; investing millions in renewing local community infrastructure; and more.
- Help families and communities by increasing food safety monitoring; better protecting species at risk; assisting victims of crime, improving water quality for First Nations communities; helping Canadians with disabilities save for their future, and more.
- Ensure vital social programs and services will be there for Canadians over the next generation by making gradual, responsible adjustments to Old Age Security; bringing pension plans for public sector employees and Parliamentarians in line with those Canadians working in the private sector; closing tax loopholes; and more.
- System-wide legislative improvements to the review process for major economic projects to achieve the goal of “one project, one review” in a clearly defined time period for major economic projects.
- $165 million over two years for responsible resource development that creates jobs while protecting the environment.
- Economic Action Plan 2012 is supporting the development of Canada‟s natural resource industries.
- Economic Action Plan 2012 proposes:
- Support for junior mineral exploration by extending the temporary 15-per-cent Mineral Exploration Tax Credit for flow-through share investors for an additional year.
- Actions to improve access to modern, reliable seismic data for offshore resource development.
- $12.3 million over two years to continue to assess diamonds in the North.
Economic Action Plan 2012 also demonstrates the Conservative government‟s strong support for Alberta through record federal transfer support for hospitals, schools, and other critical services. Totaling close to $3.6 billion in 2012-13, the transfer support represents an increase of nearly $1.4 billion (or 61%) from the former Liberal government.
