Minister of State for Social Development highlights key accomplishments for 2014

[Locutus]

December 23, 2014 – Gatineau, Quebec – Employment and Social Development Canada


The Honourable Candice Bergen, Minister of State for Social Development, today highlighted some key accomplishments of 2014. These include successfully delivering on Economic Action Plan commitments.


Key accomplishments

• Renewed the overall Investment in Affordable Housing to March 2019, with federal funding of $1.25 billion over five years and signing renewal agreements with provincial and territorial colleagues across the country.
• Together with the Mental Health Commission of Canada, released the final report on the world-leading At Home/Chez Soi project, which demonstrated that the Housing First approach rapidly reduces homelessness while alleviating pressure on shelter, health, police and judicial services.
• Renewed the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS), committing nearly $600 million in funding over the next five years, and launched the Housing First approach in Canada. Minister Bergen also addressed international and domestic homelessness conferences in Chicago, Illinois, and Vancouver, B.C., describing Canada’s concrete action through the Housing First approach.
• Assumed additional responsibilities for disability-related programs and launched two national calls for proposals under the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF). The EAF is a program that supports capital costs of construction and renovations related to improving physical accessibility and safety for people with disabilities in Canadian communities and workplaces.
• Met with counterparts in Washington, D.C., to exchange ideas and best practices on housing, homelessness and disability issues.
• Attended the G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting in Melbourne, Australia, to speak about Canada’s many initiatives to invest in skills training to ensure Canadians have the skills employers are looking for in today's economy including: the Canada Job Grant, the Canada Apprentice Loan, apprenticeship grants, federal transfers to the provinces for the purposes of skills training, the Youth Employment Strategy and labour market inclusion for people of all abilities.
• Joined the Prime Minister for the announcement of new measures to make life more affordable for Canadian families, including the increase and expansion of the Universal Child Care Benefit. Met with families across the country to explain how they will have more money in their pockets to spend on their priorities as a result of the Family Tax Cuts and Benefits package.
• Reformed the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities to better connect people with disabilities with jobs and launched a call for proposals for national projects. This call is still open and eligible organizations across the country are invited to submit their proposals before January 30, 2015.
• Continued to raise awareness about the Registered Disability Savings Plan, the Registered Education Savings Plan, the Canada Learning Bond and the Canada Education Savings Grant so that more eligible Canadians benefit from these savings plans.

more


Minister Bergen highlights key accomplishments for 2014 - Canada News Centre

 

[darkbeaver]

Money well spent, kept it al together, we'll make it to the playoffs again, good government. The lights still work and everything.

 

[skookumchuck]

Where is Waldo?

 

[tay]

The Harperites like to present themselves as advocates for law and order. But, Errol Mendes writes in the Globe and Mail (link is external), they do their best to undermine the rule of law. Consider their taxpayer funded propaganda machine:







In what country does a government take tax revenues and use it to pump out continuous government propaganda that tries to brainwash the citizens with its performance, whether truthful or not? Many would suggest China, Russia or even Zimbabwe. Sadly, it is also true in the Canada governed by the Stephen Harper Conservatives.




The opposition parties have claimed that the Harper government has authorized more than $600-million in disguised partisan ads since coming into office. These include some earlier Economic Action Plan television ads, and the newest ones announcing the yet-to-be implemented family tax benefits package – outrageously partisan.


When these ads announce that it will fill the pockets of taxpayers with thousands of dollars, it’s a less-than-honest exhortation for viewers to vote Conservative in the upcoming 2015 election. There will, no doubt, be far more honest ads paid for by the Conservative Party with the same content once the election campaign starts and its spending will be restricted to far less than the millions that may be spent on it before the campaign actually starts.




more




How partisan Conservative ads undermine the rule of law - The Globe and Mail

 

[darkbeaver]

The Harperites like to present themselves as advocates for law and order. But, Errol Mendes writes in they do their best to undermine the rule of law. Consider their taxpayer funded propaganda machine:

In what country does a government take tax revenues and use it to pump out continuous government propaganda that tries to brainwash the citizens with its performance, whether truthful or not? Many would suggest China, Russia or even Zimbabwe. Sadly, it is also true in the Canada governed by the Stephen Harper Conservatives.

There are very few exceptions in the disintegrating Western hegemon. That can only get worse. Get used to it.