A Record of Conservative Accomplishments

March 14, 2008

This week Parliament is rising after a productive winter session. Thanks to strong leadership from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Government, Canadian families are seeing real results.

Canadian families are safer. The Tackling Violent Crime Act¸ a Conservative Bill that will impose mandatory minimum sentences on gun criminals, keep repeat violent and sexual offenders behind bars and protect children by raising the age of sexual consent from 14 to 16 is now law. This was a key confidence measure. The Stéphane Dion Liberals in the Senate helped pass this Conservative Bill.

The Canadian economy is now on a responsible and prudent course. Budget 2008; a balanced budget which provides Canadians with a powerful new way to save through Tax Free Savings Accounts and which pays down more than $10 billion in debt was approved by the House of Commons. This was also a key confidence measure. Stéphane Dion and the Liberals helped approve the Conservative Budget.

The Canadian forces serving in Afghanistan now have the clear support of Parliament. A consensus motion extending the military mission in Afghanistan to 2011 was passed last night. This was also a key confidence measure. Stéphane Dion and the Liberals helped pass this new motion.

The Conservative Government announced a real greenhouse gas reduction plan, the first to ever include mandatory emission reduction targets. The NDP opposed the Conservative plan by introducing a non-confidence motion on the environment. The NDP environmental motion declaring non-confidence in the Conservative Government was defeated with the help of Stéphane Dion and the Liberals.

A Liberal Private Member's Bill which would amend the budget and drive Canada back into deficit was defeated at the eleventh hour. To amend the budget in this fashion would also have been confidence measure. Fortunately this Liberal budget amendment was defeated with the help of Stéphane Dion and the Liberals.

The Conservative Government wants to wish Canadians a happy Easter Break, and wish Stéphane Dion a long and productive future as Leader of the Official Opposition.