Brockville - Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville, today welcomed the announcement that the second part of the government’s budget bill has received Royal Assent.

“This Bill enacted a great deal of the legislation we announced in the June budget,” explains Brown. “Despite Opposition efforts to delay implementation of our Bills we have been successful in this Fall session in moving our promises forward. I was pleased to have been able to speak in the House about a number of these measures and how they will aid Leeds-Grenville.”

This Bill completes a number of election promises.

Promoting Job Creation & Economic Growth

• Providing a temporary Hiring Credit for Small Business to encourage additional hiring
• Expanding tax support for clean energy generation to encourage green investments
• Extending the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit for flow-through share investors by one year to support Canada’s mining sector
• Simplifying customs tariffs in order to facilitate trade and lower the administrative burden for businesses
• Extending the accelerated capital cost allowance treatment for investments in manufacturing and processing machinery and equipment for two years to support the manufacturing and processing sector
• Eliminating the mandatory retirement age for federally regulated employees in order to give older workers wishing to work the option of remaining in the workforce

Supporting Communities

• Legislating permanent annual funding of $2 billion for the Gas Tax Fund to provide predictable, long-term infrastructure support to municipalities
• Enhancing the Wage Earner Protection Program to cover more workers affected by employer bankruptcy or receivership
• Introducing a Volunteer Firefighters Tax Credit for volunteer firefighters
• Increasing the integrity of the charitable sector to provide more confidence by introducing a package of integrity measures designed to help combat fraud and other forms of abuse

Helping Families

• Introducing a new Family Caregiver Tax Credit to assist caregivers of all types of infirm dependent relatives
• Removing the limit on the amount of eligible expenses caregivers can claim under the Medical Expense Tax Credit in respect of financially dependent relatives
• Introducing a new Children’s Arts Tax Credit for programs associated with children’s artistic, cultural, recreational and developmental activities

Investing in Education and Training

• Forgiving loans for new doctors and nurses in under-served rural and remote areas
• Helping apprentices in the skilled trades and workers in regulated professions by making occupational, trade and professional examination fees eligible for the Tuition Tax Credit
• Improving federal financial assistance for students
• Making it easier to allocate Registered Education Savings Plan assets among siblings, without incurring tax penalties or forfeiting Canada Education Savings Grants

Respecting Taxpayers

• Phasing out the direct subsidy of political parties
• Closing numerous tax loopholes that allow a few businesses and individuals to avoid paying their fair share of tax