HOLLAND LANDING, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 12/17/14 -- The Government House Leader, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, made the following statement on the occasion of nine bills receiving the Royal Assent last night:
"Parliament's work for 2014 drew to a close yesterday evening when nine additional bills were given the Royal Assent, by His Excellency the Governor General, thus becoming law.
"Though the past 12 months have been eventful and emotional ones for the House of Commons, they were equally productive ones to the benefit of all Canadians.
"In 2014, our Government saw 42 bills make it into the statute book, breaking our Government's record of 40 new laws, set last year, following the 38 bills passed in 2007.
"With our legislative priorities in Parliament, we were able to deliver on job creation, lower taxes and free trade. In addition, our new laws will also help to tackle crime, keep Canadians families and workers safe, strengthen the value of Canadian citizenship, improve the conduct of elections, honour our international agreements, get farmers' products to market quicker, and add to our national parks system.
"In addition to passing bills, the House of Commons handled a number of other important items of business this year, including paving the way for the Family Tax Cut, enhanced benefits for families, including a significant expansion of the Universal Child Care Benefit, and increasing the child care expense deduction. The House also received addresses from three distinguished world figures, stood up to Russian aggression in Ukraine, gave its support to the international counter-terrorism mission against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, agreed to confer honourary citizenship on Malala Yousafzai, and endorsed the implementation of the Canada-European Union free trade agreement on the terms negotiated by our Government.
"Canadians can see clearly that running this country is a serious business that requires strong leadership. In Parliament, our Government has set out to do that through a hard-working, orderly and productive House of Commons.
"However, it is not just the Government's bills which have been successful; in 2014, another 13 private Members' bills became the law of the land, in addition to 12 private Members' motions being adopted by the House of Commons.
"Since the last election, 32 private Members' bills, sponsored by MPs from all corners of the House, have passed and 52, in total, have become law since 2006, under our Government. These numbers underscore the unprecedented empowerment of regular Members of Parliament to champion ideas and issues important to them and their constituents, despite what pundits might otherwise claim.
"Looking ahead to 2015, we know that Canadians expect their government to focus on maintaining our country's relative economic strength. In the new year, we will do just that as we continue to build on our record for hard-working Canadian families."
A backgrounder outlining Parliament's legislative accomplishments in 2014 is attached.
The House of Commons is scheduled to resume on January 26, 2015.
BACKGROUNDER
PARLIAMENT'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2014
Government Bills that received Royal Assent in 2014
C-3, Safeguarding Canada's Seas and Skies Act (December 9, 2014)
C-5, Offshore Health and Safety Act (June 19, 2014)
C-6, Prohibiting Cluster Munitions Act (November 6, 2014)
C-8, Combating Counterfeit Products Act (December 9, 2014)
C-9, First Nations Elections Act (April 11, 2014)
C-10, Tackling Contraband Tobacco Act (November 6, 2014)
C-13, Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act (December 9, 2014)
C-14, Not Criminally Responsible Reform Act (April 11, 2014)
C-15, Northwest Territories Devolution Act (March 25, 2014)
C-16, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation Governance Act (March 4, 2014)
C-17, Protecting Canadians from Unsafe Drugs Act (Vanessa's Law) (November 6, 2014)
C-20, Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act (June 19, 2014)
C-23, Fair Elections Act (June 19, 2014)
C-24, Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act (June 19, 2014)
C-25, Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Act (June 19, 2014)
C-28, Appropriation Act No. 5, 2013-14 (March 27, 2014)
C-29, Appropriation Act No. 1, 2014-15 (March 27, 2014)
C-30, Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act (May 29, 2014)
C-31, Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1 (June 19, 2014)
C-34, Tla'amin Final Agreement Act (June 19, 2014)
C-36, Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (November 6, 2014)
C-37, Riding Name Change Act, 2014 (June 19, 2014)
C-38, Appropriation Act No. 2, 2014-15 (June 19, 2014)
C-39, Appropriation Act No. 3, 2014-15 (June 19, 2014)
C-41, Canada-Korea Economic Growth and Prosperity Act (November 26, 2014)
C-43, Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 2 (December 16, 2014)
C-45, Appropriation Act No. 4, 2014-15 (December 16, 2014)
S-5, Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve Act (December 16, 2014)
Private Members' and Private Bills that received Royal Assent in 2014
C-217, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (mischief relating to war memorials) (June 19, 2014) (David Tilson: Dufferin-Caledon, Ontario)
C-266, Pope John Paul II Day Act (December 16, 2014) (Wladyslaw Lizon: Mississauga East-Cooksville, Ontario)
C-394, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the National Defence Act (criminal organization recruitment) (June 19, 2014) (Parm Gill: Brampton-Springdale, Ontario)
C-428, Indian Act Amendment and Replacement Act (December 16, 2014) (Rob Clarke: Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River, Saskatchewan)
C-442, National Lyme Disease Strategy Act (December 16, 2014) (Elizabeth May: Saanich-Gulf Islands, British Columbia)
C-444, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (personating peace officer or public officer) (June 19, 2014) (Earl Dreeshen: Red Deer, Alberta)
C-462, Disability Tax Credit Promoters Restrictions Act (May 29, 2014) (Cheryl Gallant: Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, Ontario)
C-483, An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (escorted temporary absence) (December 16, 2014) (Dave Mackenzie: Oxford, Ontario)
C-489, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (restrictions on offenders) (June 19, 2014) (Mark Warawa: Langley, British Columbia)
C-501, National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day Act (November 6, 2014) (Rick Norlock: Northumberland-Quinte West, Ontario)
C-525, Employees' Voting Rights Act (December 16, 2014) (Blaine Calkins: Wetaskiwin, Alberta)
S-211, National Health and Fitness Day Act (December 16, 2014) (John Weston: West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, British Columbia)
S-213, Lincoln Alexander Day Act (December 9, 2014) (David Sweet: Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, Ontario)
S-1001, An Act to amend the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada Act (December 9, 2014) (Hon. Laurie Hawn: Edmonton Centre, Alberta)
Other Government Bills passed by one House in 2014
C-18, Agricultural Growth Act
C-22, Energy Safety and Security Act
C-27, Veterans Hiring Act
C-47, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2014
S-2, Incorporation by Reference in Regulations Act
S-4, Digital Privacy Act
S-6, Yukon and Nunavut Regulatory Improvement Act
S-7, Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act
Private Members' Bills passed by one House in 2014
C-247, Main Point of Contact with the Government of Canada in case of Death Act (Frank Valeriote: Guelph, Ontario)
C-479, An Act to Bring Fairness for the Victims of Violent Offenders (David Sweet: Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale, Ontario)
C-520, Supporting Non-Partisan Offices of Agents of Parliament Act (Mark Adler: York Centre, Ontario)
C-591, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security Act (pension and benefits) (Dave Van Kesteren: Chatham-Kent-Essex, Ontario)
S-218, National Fiddling Day Act (Tilly O'Neill Gordon: Miramichi, New Brunswick)
S-219, Journey to Freedom Day Act (Mark Adler: York Centre, Ontario)
S-221, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against public transit operators) (Corneliu Chisu: Pickering-Scarborough East, Ontario)
Private Members' Motions passed by the House of Commons in 2014
M-428, electronic petitions (Kennedy Stewart: Burnaby-Douglas, British Columbia)
M-430, persons with disabilities (Phil McColeman: Brant, Ontario)
M-431, election of committee chairs (Brad Trost: Saskatoon-Humboldt, Saskatchewan)
M-448, Afghan Veterans Monument (Ray Boughen: Palliser, Saskatchewan)
M-455, homelessness (Peter Goldring: Edmonton East, Alberta)
M-456, pan-Canadian palliative and end-of-life care strategy (Charlie Angus: Timmins-James Bay, Ontario)
M-489, election of the Speaker of the House of Commons (Scott Reid: Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington, Ontario)
M-496, dairy producers (Ruth Ellen Brosseau: Berthier-Maskinonge, Quebec)
M-502, Georgian Bay Channel to Lock 45-Port Severn (Bruce Stanton: Simcoe North, Ontario)
M-504, violence against women (Bryan Hayes: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)
M-505, Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Stella Ambler: Mississauga South, Ontario)
M-532, care for veterans (Hon. Laurie Hawn: Edmonton Centre, Alberta)
Contacts:
Darlene Stone
Government House Leader's Office
(613) 995-7226
