Ottawa Journal, David Tilson MP — Federal government is delivering results for Canadians

July 17, 2014 · 0 Comments

With the productive spring sitting of the House of Commons having come to a close, our government has delivered important legislation to address the issues that are important to Canadian families.
We know that the economy continues to be the top priority of Canadians. That’s why our government continues to make it our top priority. This spring, our efforts to strengthen the economy and help create jobs were bolstered by passing key aspects of our Economic Action Plan. These measures include action to better connect Canadians with available jobs, as well as deliver better training for the workforce of tomorrow.
At the same time, our government believes that families have a right to feel safe in their homes and on their streets. This is why we continue to take steps to help improve the safety of our communities. This spring, we were able to pass a number of bills that support victims and put the safety of Canadian families first. For example, in response to concerns from victims and their families, we passed the Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) Reform Act. This bill will help ensure that the safety of communities and victims are paramount in the decision making process for those found NCR. It implements some common sense reforms, such as creating a “high-risk” designation which would block the release of those that may pose a danger to their victims or the general public, without jeopardizing their ability to receive treatment. It will also enhance victim involvement in the process and give them a more effective voice.
At the same time, we were able to introduce the landmark Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. The Victims Bill of Rights will permanently entrench the rights of victims into a single document at the federal level — a first in Canadian history. It will guarantee that the justice system recognizes a victims’ right to information, protection, participation and restitution.
Canadians can also be proud that our government delivered two important pieces of legislation — the Fair Elections Act and the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act — that will help safeguard our democracy and protect the value of Canadian citizenship.
Our government will continue to work hard this summer and stay focused on what matters most to Canadians. Unfortunately, the Opposition parties are still playing petty partisan games and jeopardizing the progress we have made since the global recession.
Unlike the Opposition, Canadians can count on our government to keep Canada’s finances sound so that we can balance the budget in 2015, deliver more tax relief for families, and keep Canada strong and prosperous.