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NEWS RELEASE
June 6, 2011	For Immediate Release

OTTAWA – Garry Breitkreuz, Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville, says the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan will have positive benefits for Saskatchewan families, seniors and job-creating businesses.

“Canada’s Economic Action Plan has worked to protect Canada from the worst of the global recession.” said Breitkreuz. “Canada has had seven straight quarters of economic growth and created nearly 540,000 net new jobs with 80 per cent of those being full-time.”

The next phase of the government’s plan keeps taxes low to promote jobs and economic growth, while supporting Saskatchewan families and seniors. It includes:

Supporting Job Creation: a new Hiring Credit for Small Business to support local job growth, an expanded work-sharing program, and major new investments to help the agriculture, forestry and mining sectors grow.

Strengthening our Families and Communities: up to $5,000 grants for Saskatchewan families to make their homes more energy efficient; up to $840 in new annual financial support for needy Saskatchewan seniors; a new Family Caregivers Tax Credit, a new Children’s Arts Tax Credit; loan forgiveness to attract doctors and nurses to rural Saskatchewan; a new $3,000 volunteer firefighters’ tax credit; and the waiving of license renewal fees for hunters and firearm owners.

Investing in the economy of tomorrow: help for Saskatchewan farmers with a new $50 million Agricultural Innovation Initiative; increased support for research and technology; an improved federal student loans program for Saskatchewan students; and more.

Preserving Canada’s Fiscal Advantage: keeping Canada on track for balanced budgets by eliminating ineffective spending; limiting spending growth; and closing unfair tax loopholes.

The government will also follow through on its commitment to phase out per-vote subsidies as political parties should rely on their supporters for their financing. This initiative will save nearly $30 million per year by 2015-2016.

Under the current government, in 2011-12, Saskatchewan will see record high major federal transfers totalling over $1.2 billion – an increase of $135 million from the former government. As well, Saskatchewan will see growing transfer support for health care ($866 million) and social services ($353 million).

“This increased support will help preserve the rural culture in Saskatchewan. We will continue to ensure Saskatchewan has record support to provide the health care, educational and other important services families depend on,” Breitkreuz concluded.