OTTAWA REPORT

October 29, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Lois Brown, MP
Newmarket-Aurora

2015 Proclaimed Year of Sport in Canada
2015 has been proclaimed the Year of Sport in Canada.
The overarching theme will be Canada: A Leading Sport Nation, a pro-active initiative that will celebrate the role that sport plays in our country and encourage Canadians to participate in and seek the benefits of sport.
In 2015, communities across Canada will have the honour of hosting several high-profile national and international sport events, including the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, the 25th edition of the Canada Games, the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 and the Toronto 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games.
The Government of Canada is proud to be a partner in these competitions, as well as the numerous international single-sport events and national championships that will be held across the country.
Indeed the federal government is the largest single investor in Canada’s sport system, supporting participation and excellence from playground to podium.

Small Business Week October 19 – 24
Small business week is a great opportunity to celebrate entrepreneurship in our community. In Canada, 98 per cent of all businesses are considered “small,” that is, employing fewer than 100 people. Yet the contribution these businesses make to our economy is enormous, accounting for roughly 30 per cent of Canada’s GDP and almost half of our private sector employment.
Small businesses in Newmarket-Aurora have a long and proud history of creating opportunities for our region, and they play an important role in helping our economy through difficult times.
Economic Action Plan (EAP) includes many initiatives to help small businesses succeed including the Small Business Job Credit. Any firm that pays employer EI premiums equal to or less than $15,000 in 2015 and 2016 will be eligible for the credit.
Almost 90 per cent of all EI premium-paying businesses in Canada will receive the credit. This initiative builds on the many efforts by the government to help small businesses succeed which have included reducing taxes, administrative burdens, and red tape.

Children’s Fitness Tax Credit Doubled
The Government of Canada has announced it will double the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit (CFTC) by increasing the maximum amount that may be claimed under the credit to $1,000 from $500, and make it refundable. The doubling of the maximum amount will be effective for the 2014 tax year and subsequent tax years, and the credit will be made refundable effective 2015.
Whether your child dreams of a career on hockey skates, playing soccer or basketball, or doing other physical activities, fees for lessons to make those dreams a reality can be costly. This commitment made by the Government in 2011 will provide tax relief for Canadian families of about $25 million in fiscal year 2014-15 and $35 million annually thereafter. The CFTC currently provides tax relief in respect of registration or membership fees to 1.4 million families who enroll their children in eligible fitness activities. When fully implemented, these enhancements will deliver additional tax relief to about 850,000 families.
The Government of Canada’s targeted tax reduction measures are enhancing the lives of Canadians and providing tax relief to give Canadian families greater flexibility to make the choices that are right for them.

Canada supports the fight against Ebola
The Government of Canada is supporting international efforts, led by the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, to respond to the immediate needs related to the fight against Ebola in West Africa. The United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) have declared the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa to be both a public health emergency and a complex crisis requiring a range of measures.
Canada was one of the earliest responders to the Ebola crisis with the provision of humanitarian assistance being delivered as early as April 2014. Canada has announced over $65 million in humanitarian and security interventions to address the spread of the disease as well as the donation of 800 to 1,000 doses of Canada’s experimental Ebola vaccine to WHO.
There are no confirmed cases of Ebola in Canada and no direct flights into Canada from affected countries in Africa. Additional scrutiny for passengers that have been in affected countries includes: automatic referral to a Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) quarantine officer; mandatory thorough health assessment by the PHAC quarantine officer, including a temperature check; and, authority to implement public health measures under the Quarantine Act. All international points of entry into Canada are routinely monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Canada will continue to monitor the situation in the West Africa region to ensure humanitarian, health and security needs are met.

If you would like to contact me on any issue, please call 905-953-7515 or visit my website at www.loisbrown.ca. I look forward to hearing from you.