Ottawa, February 16, 2012 — Legislation to protect the integrity of Canada’s immigration system was introduced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

The proposed measures include further reforms to the asylum system to make it faster and fairer, measures to address human smuggling, and the authority to make it mandatory to provide biometric data with a temporary resident visa application.

“Canadians take great pride in the generosity and compassion of our immigration and refugee programs. But they have no tolerance for those who abuse our generosity and seek to take unfair advantage of our country,” said Minister Kenney.

The new bill, Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act, proposes changes that build on reforms to the asylum system passed in June 2010 as part of the Balanced Refugee Reform Act.

The proposed measures would provide faster protection to those who genuinely need refuge, and faster removal for those who don’t.

In particular, refugee claimants from generally non-refugee-producing countries such as most of those in the European Union (EU) would be processed, on average, in 45 days compared to more than 1,000 days under the current system, or 171 days under the Balanced Refugee Reform Act.

“It has become clear that there are gaps in the Balanced Refugee Reform Act and we need stronger measures that are closer to the original refugee bill we tabled back in March 2010,” said Minister Kenney. “Canada receives more refugee claims from Europe than from Africa or Asia. Last year alone, 23% of all refugee claims made in Canada were made by nationals from the EU. That’s up from 14% the previous year. This growing trend threatens the integrity of our immigration system.”

In recent years over 95% of EU claims were withdrawn, abandoned or rejected. If that trend continues, that means that the unfounded claims from the 5,800 EU nationals who sought asylum last year will cost Canadian taxpayers nearly $170 million.

“Too many tax dollars are spent on bogus refugees. We need to send a message to those who would abuse Canada’s generous asylum system that if you are not in need of protection, you will be sent home quickly,” added Minister Kenney.

With the Balanced Refugee Reform Act and today’s legislation, the provinces and territories are expected to save in the range of $1.65 billion over five years in social assistance and education costs.

Most of the provisions in the former Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada’s Immigration System Act (Bill C-4) have also been included in this new bill, with one modification. Minors under the age of 16 would be exempt from the detention proposals designed to deal with all mass arrivals from human smuggling operations.

“Our Government is sending a clear message that our doors are open to those who play by the rules, including legitimate refugees. However, we will crack down on those who endanger human lives and threaten the integrity of our borders,” said Minister Kenney. “Human smuggling is a despicable crime and Canadians think it’s unacceptable for criminals to abuse Canada’s immigration system for financial gain.”

Mandatory detention remains for people who enter Canada as part of a designated smuggling event. But once the identity of a claimant has been established and a refugee claim is approved, individuals would be released from detention.

The final component of the new legislation would give the Minister the authority to make it mandatory for visa applicants to provide biometric data (i.e., fingerprints, photograph) to visit Canada. Documents can be forged or stolen, whereas biometric data provide greater certainty, confirming the identity of applicants when they apply.

“Biometrics will be an important new tool to help protect the safety and security of Canadians by reducing identity fraud and identity theft,” said Minister Kenney. “As fraudsters become more sophisticated, biometrics will improve our ability to keep violent criminals and those who pose a threat to Canada out. In short, biometrics will strengthen the integrity of Canada’s immigration system while helping facilitate legitimate travel.”

These measures would put us in line with international partners such as the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, and the United States. This would help prevent known criminals, failed refugee claimants and deportees from using a fake identity to obtain a visa. The use of biometrics would also bolster Canada’s existing measures to facilitate legitimate travel by providing a fast and reliable tool for confirming identity.

All these reforms are aimed at deterring abuse of Canada’s generous immigration and refugee system. With these proposed measures, the integrity of Canada’s immigration programs and the safety and security of Canadians will be protected.

“To maintain the support of Canadians for our generous immigration and refugee systems, we must demonstrate that Canada has a fair, well-managed system that does not tolerate queue jumping,” concluded Minister Kenney.

[Click Here] and scroll down for Backgrounders.

[Click Here] for more information on Canada’s Balanced Refugee Reform plan.

BEIJING, CHINA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao today witnessed the signing of new joint initiatives and the renewal of existing bilateral initiatives between the two countries in the areas of energy, natural resources, education, science and technology, and agriculture.

“The rapidly increasing commercial, cultural and scholastic ties between our two countries are creating new jobs and economic growth that are benefitting Canadian families, businesses and communities,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The agreements being signed today, in such a wide range of areas, are further testimony that we are taking relations to the next level and further strengthening our strategic partnership.”

More specifically, the two leaders witnessed the signing of:

• A Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Development of Natural Resources that will provide a platform to promote Canadian expertise, technologies and services in that area;
• A renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation that will attract capital investment and improve access to Chinese markets for Canada’s energy resources, technology and related services; and,
• Initiatives on agriculture that clear the way for immediate access to the lucrative Chinese beef tallow market and joint research that aims to create a stable trading environment with China for Canadian canola seed;
• A statement of intent to launch two new calls for proposals for joint research and development projects under the Canada-China Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation, as well as the announcement of results for a previous call for project proposals;
• A three-year renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding related to the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program that will increase the eligibility criteria for Canadians to study in China; and
• A Memorandum of Understanding on protected areas and parks that will provide a framework for Canada and China to collaborate and share their professional and scientific knowledge and experience in the management of national parks and nature reserves.

The Prime Minister also announced the conclusion of negotiations toward a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA).

This document is also available at http://pm.gc.ca

Backgrounder

CANADA-CHINA AGREEMENT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

The Government of Canada is committed to collaborating with China on science and technology in order to promote innovation and two-way trade and investment. In support of this commitment, Canada and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Sustainable Development of Natural Resources, which aims to advance science and technology collaboration in this area.

The five-year MOU, which was signed on February 8, 2012 , and is effective immediately, is expected to generate new and improved scientific knowledge and technologies, help address a number of environmental issues and enable trade and investment opportunities for both Canadian and Chinese industries.

It will promote cooperation between Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and the CAS in the areas of clean energy, earth sciences and mineral resources.  Collaboration between government, industrial, academic and professional organization representatives will be facilitated under the initiative through collaboration on individual research projects, exchanges of personnel, and the exchange of scientific/technical information and technology.

The MOU supports Canada’s prosperity agenda with China by providing a platform to promote Canadian expertise, technologies and services. The benefit of increased cooperation includes: new technologies for Canadian resource firms; advancing Canada’s research priorities; addressing policy challenges to resource development, such as emissions, reduced environmental impact and natural hazards; and opportunities for Canadian suppliers of equipment and services.

Collaborating with the CAS – China’s national research and development authority – will complement a number of existing government-to-government mechanisms and frameworks, including the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, the May 2007 MOU on Cooperation in Earth Sciences, and collaboration between NRCan’s Canada Centre for Remote Sensing and the CAS Institute of Remote Sensing Applications in 1994.

China is Canada’s second largest trading partner and natural resources account for more than half the value of Canadian exports to China.
Backgrounder

CANADA-CHINA MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) ON ENERGY COOPERATION

China has emerged as the largest energy consumer in the world. Growing Chinese energy demand and Chinese overseas energy investments (including Canadian oil and gas) have prompted increased market interest in China as a source of investment, as a partner in technological cooperation, and as a market for Canadian energy goods and services.

The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening bilateral ties with China, advancing Canada’s energy interests and contributing to Canada’s long-term economic well-being. To this end, Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that an agreement on energy cooperation with China had been reached.

The Canada-China Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Energy Cooperation provides a framework to engage China on energy issues. The agreement covers a broad range of energy activities, including energy policy, trade and investment, energy efficiency, oil and gas, nuclear energy, renewable energy, as well as energy research and development. This agreement will increase opportunities to attract capital investment, and improve access to markets for Canada’s energy resources, technology and related services.

The MOU sets a foundation for strategic and technical cooperation, including joint research projects, exchange of expertise and facilitation of workshops, and promotion of cooperation between energy companies in both countries. The agreement also provides a vehicle for liaison with provinces and territories, industrial, academic, professional and other organizations.

The Canada-China Joint Working Group on Energy Cooperation is the primary vehicle for implementing cooperation under the MOU. This Working Group is co-chaired by Canada’s Department of Natural Resources and China’s National Energy Administration (NEA).  The NEA is the main authority in China responsible for energy policy and operates under the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s central government body responsible for economic planning.

This MOU is a continuation of the MOU signed in 2001 and renewed in 2006 and it will allow Canada and China to reinforce and develop cooperation in the field of energy.
Backgrounder

AGRICULTURAL INITIATIVES

The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening its important trade and investment relationship with China. To this end, Prime Minister Harper and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao today announced two new agreements which will expand Canadian agricultural and agri-food exports to China.

By making way for new and expanded markets, the new agreements will provide hard working Canadian farmers and processors with stable and predictable export opportunities, while creating jobs and economic growth in Canada.

Market Access for Canadian beef and Tallow for Industrial Use

During Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Canada in June 2010, Canada and China signed a Cooperative Arrangement committing them to resolving access for Canadian beef, beef products and tallow for industrial use. The Chinese market for both Canadian beef and cattle was closed in May 2003 following Canada’s first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Following extensive technical negotiations, Canada and China reached an agreement in May 2011 which restored access for Canadian deboned beef derived from animals under thirty months of age.

The new Protocol Between the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Quarantine and Health Requirements for Industrial Beef Tallow to be Exported from Canada to China, signed on February 8, 2012, represents the next step of the 2010 Cooperative Arrangement. It stipulates conditions for access of Canadian tallow for industrial use in China and clears the way for the immediate access to the lucrative Chinese beef tallow market by Canadian processors for the first time in almost a decade.

In 2002, Canadian exports of tallow were worth more than $31 million, which made China the top export market for Canadian tallow. In 2010, China imported over $400 million in tallow from countries around the world.

Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Canola Research

China is one of Canada’s most valuable canola export markets. In 2009, China restricted imports of Canadian canola seed due to the presence of blackleg, a fungal disease in canola and rapeseed. While a transitional agreement granted by China in November of the same year allows temporary and limited exports of canola, Canadian and Chinese governments and industry continue to work toward a long-term solution.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed by Prime Minister Harper and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, allows for Canadian-funded joint research to be conducted in Canada to provide a better understanding of blackleg and assist officials in mitigating the risks to Chinese crops associated with the disease. The MOU, which is effective immediately, is part of an ongoing strategy to achieve a stable trading environment with China for Canadian canola seed.
Backgrounder

CALL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROPOSALS

The Government of Canada is committed to supporting research that improves the lives of Canadians and allows Canadian entrepreneurs to develop new products and introduce them to the marketplace, creating jobs and economic growth and raising Canadians’ standard of living. To this end, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao today announced the intent to launch two new calls for proposals, valued at $18 million, for joint research and development initiatives under the Canada-China Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation.

The two new calls for proposals, which are expected to be launched in spring 2012, will focus on the development of innovations with high commercial potential in the areas of human vaccines and clean automotive transportation. These areas were identified by the Canada-China Joint Committee on Science and Technology, which is made up of Canadian and Chinese partners from industry, academia and government.

The contribution is shared equally between the two countries, with $9 million from Canadian sources and $9 million from Chinese sources. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, through the International Science and Technology Partnerships Program (ISTPP), will contribute up to $1.5 million to each of the two initiatives, to be matched with equivalent funds from Canadian industry. Additionally, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada will contribute up to $1.5 million to the human vaccines and clean automotive transportation initiatives, respectively. Additional support provided by the National Research Council of Canada and Natural Resources Canada promises to further bolster the initiative by linking it to new and existing programs and resources.

To date, nearly $28 million has been provided through the Canada-China Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation for 21 projects that have significant commercial potential. Some areas being explored include new ways to monitor nuclear power plants, as well as the development of new drugs for AIDS patients, and cleaner pulp and paper plants.

About International Science and Technology Partnerships Program (ISTPP)

In Canada, ISTPP is delivered by an arms-length, not-for-profit agency, International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

ISTPP provides seed funding to Canadian small-and-medium-sized enterprises, often working in partnership with universities and research organizations, to undertake commercially viable joint research and development projects with partners from China, Brazil, India and Israel.  It was established in 2005 with funding of $20 million over five years. The program was renewed in 2011 with an additional $20 million over five years.  Since 2007, partners have contributed $3 for every $1 invested by the Government of Canada. The program increases the international competitiveness and prosperity of Canada by building stronger science and technology relationships with partner countries.
Backgrounder

RESULTS OF THE THIRD CALL FOR PROPOSALS UNDER THE CANADA-CHINA FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

The Government of Canada recognizes the role of innovation in stimulating economic growth and supports research and development projects that can lead to job creation and enhanced standards of living for all Canadians. To this end, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao today announced the results of the third call for joint research and development projects under the Canada-China Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation.

Seven projects, valued at nearly $10 million, will be supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, through the International Science and Technology Partnerships Program (ISTPP), which promotes commercially-focused international research and development cooperation and is delivered by a not-for-profit organization, ISTPCanada. Additional funding will come from partners such as the Government of Alberta.

Project Descriptions

1. A new Urinary Diagnostic Kit for Acute Kidney Injury:  The kit provided a new diagnostics test that enables fast, accurate and cost-effective detection and diagnosis of kidney disease.

Canadian Participants: ATGCell Inc.; University of Alberta; Alberta Innovates
Chinese Participants: Shanghai Alpha Biotechnology Co. Ltd.; Shanghai Changzheng Hospital.

2. An innovative Wind Energy Seawater Desalination System: This wind powered seawater desalination system will facilitate cost-effective and energy-efficient desalination at large-scale water treatment plants.

Canadian Participants: Wenvor Technologies Inc.; University of New Brunswick
Chinese Participants: Jiangsu Academy of Macroeconomic Research

3. Condensing Technology for Recovery and Utilization of Waste Heat from Reheating Furnace Emissions in the Petrochemical Industry: This cost-effective waste heat recovery system helps oil refineries reduce fuel consumption by up to 15 percent and water consumption by up to 90 percent.

Canadian Participants: Thermal Energy International Inc.
Chinese Participants: Cyheat Energy Technology Inc.; Liaoning Shihua University.

4. Nanowire-Based Next Generation Solar Cells: This nanowire technology (about 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of human hair) will reduce the cost and increase the accessibility of solar panels, a leading source of renewable energy.

Canadian Participants: Cleanfield Energy; McMaster University
Chinese Participants: Hangzhou Niagra Technology; Zhejiang University

5. A Real-Time Multi-Sensor Tracking Device for operation on any platform and in any environment: This real-time navigation and tracking system for hand-held devices will improve inventory tracking, personnel safety and emergency response.

Canadian Participants: Trusted Positioning Inc.
Chinese Participants: Beijing UniStrong (China); Nanchang University

6. A Blue-Green Algae Blooms Warning System: This new technology will help scientists to assess and prevent toxic blue-green algae from infecting our waters.

Canadian Participants: Noetix Research
Chinese Participants: Changzhou SpatialSmart Technologies

7. Research and Commercialization of the Next Generation Core Technologies for Online Spatial Data Maintenance: These large-scale geographic information systems will improve data accessibility and increases user productivity.

Canadian Participants: MRF Geosystems
Chinese Participants: SuperMap Software Co. Ltd

About International Science and Technology Partnerships Program (ISTPP)

In Canada, ISTPP is delivered by an arms-length, not-for-profit agency, International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

ISTPP provides seed funding to Canadian small-and-medium-sized enterprises, often working in partnership with universities and research organizations, to undertake commercially viable joint research and development projects with partners from China, Brazil, India and Israel.  It was established in 2005 with funding of $20 million over five years. The program was renewed in 2011 with an additional $20 million over five years.  Since 2007, partners have contributed $3 for every $1 invested by the Government of Canada. The program increases the international competitiveness and prosperity of Canada by building stronger science and technology relationships with partner countries.

 

Backgrounder

CANADA-CHINA SCHOLARS’ EXCHANGE PROGRAM (CCSEP)

The Government of Canada believes international learning opportunities are key to increasing understanding of the world, and to this end, supports a wide array of work/study programs designed to propel students and professionals towards a greater appreciation of different cultural perspectives.

The Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) is an official exchange program between the Government of Canada and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, which is designed to enhance scholars and professionals’ knowledge and understanding of his or her host country’s language, culture, academic and business pursuits. Since its establishment in 1973, more than 900 scholars have participated in the program.

Through the CCSEP, which is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canada provides eight to twelve scholarships annually to Chinese mid-career professionals, while China offers approximately 20 short-term awards to non-degree seeking Canadian university students. The renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will come into effect in the next round of competitions in the fall of 2012, contains modifications to increase the eligibility criteria for Canadians to study in China: in particular, Canadian undergraduate students and mid-career professionals may now apply for the program, along with graduate students and university faculty members who are already currently eligible.

Over the years, education ties between Canada and China have expanded significantly. In 2010, over 60,000 Chinese students studied in Canada, representing close to 28 per cent of our international students and contributing almost $1.9 billion to the Canadian economy. In addition, in 2009, over 16,500 students attended the 49 elementary/secondary schools in China licensed to teach a Canadian curriculum.

There are currently over 475 active agreements between Canadian and Chinese institutions.
Backgrounder

CANADA-CHINA AGREEMENT ON PROTECTED AREAS COOPERATION

The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring the protection and preservation of Canada’s cultural and natural heritage and to collaborating with its international partners on priority environmental issues of common interest.  In keeping with this commitment, the Government of Canada signed on February 8, 2012, an historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on protected areas cooperation with China’s State Forestry Administration, which is responsible for the management of China’s network of nature reserves.

The purpose of the MOU, which is effective immediately, is to provide a framework for Parks Canada and China’s State Forestry Administration to collaborate and share their professional and scientific knowledge and experience in the management of national parks, nature reserves and other protected areas.

Areas of cooperation may include:

• The development and implementation of national parks and nature reserves management, planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting;
• Ecological restoration, public education, tourism and visitors experience;
• Conservation measures for endangered wild fauna and flora species and their habitat, including species reintroduction;
• Development and management of wetland parks, monitoring and management of wetlands of international importance; and
• Conservation measures for the preservation of forests and wetlands within national parks and nature reserves.

The MOU also recognizes that both the Peoples Republic of China and Canada are parties to a number of international conventions regarding protected areas planning and management.

Parks Canada manages more than 300,000 square kilometres of protected areas in its country-wide network of national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. Through its world-class expertise in protected area and park management and conservation, Parks Canada provides opportunities for Canadians to learn about and have extraordinary experiences of discovery at these national treasures.

More stable investment environment will contribute to jobs and growth

BEIJING, CHINA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the conclusion of negotiations toward a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) between Canada and China, and witnessed the signing of a Declaration of Intent by Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Ed Fast, and China’s Minister of Commerce, Chen Deming.

“Investment flows between Canada and China are at an all-time high contributing significantly to jobs and economic growth in both countries,” said Prime Minister Harper. “Today’s landmark agreement will further facilitate these flows by providing a more stable and secure environment for investors on both sides of the Pacific.”

As part of the process, Canada consulted with a variety of stakeholders including those in mining, manufacturing and financial sectors.

Now that negotiations have been concluded on a FIPA between Canada and China, both countries will need to conduct a legal review of the agreement and then sign and ratify it.

The potential for increased Canadian investment in China is significant given the country is expected to become the world’s largest economy by 2020.

Standing at a record high of almost $5 billion at the end of 2010, Canadian investment in China increased by 38 percent over 2009 levels. Chinese investment in Canada the same year totalled $14 billion, an increase of 9 percent from 2009.

Canada currently has FIPAs in force with 24 countries and is engaged in active negotiations with 10 others.

This document is also available at http://pm.gc.ca

Backgrounder

CANADA-CHINA FOREIGN INVESTMENT PROMOTION AND PROTECTION AGREEMENT (FIPA)

The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening its strategic partnership with the Peoples’ Republic of China and to creating the right conditions for Canadian businesses to compete internationally. An important part of this equation is ensuring that two-way investment between Canada and other countries can take place in a stable, secure manner.

In keeping with this commitment, while in Beijing on February 8, 2012, Prime Minister Harper announced the conclusion of negotiations toward the Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), and witnessed the signing of a Declaration of Intent by Canada’s Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, Ed Fast, and China’s Minister of Commerce, Chen Deming.

As part of the process, Canada consulted with a variety of stakeholders including those in mining, manufacturing and financial sectors.

A FIPA is a treaty designed to protect and promote Canadian investment abroad through legally binding provisions as well as to promote foreign investment in Canada. By ensuring greater protection against discriminatory and arbitrary practices, and enhancing predictability of a market’s policy framework, a FIPA allows investors to invest with greater confidence. Canada has consistently supported strong, rules-based investment through the negotiation of FIPAs.

Once implemented, the Canada-China FIPA will facilitate investment flows, contributing to job creation and economic growth in Canada.

In order for the FIPA to be ratified, the negotiated text must undergo a thorough legal review in English, French, and Mandarin. After the legal review is complete, the FIPA can be signed by both parties, made public, and then proceed through each country’s respective ratification process.

In Canada, the FIPA will be tabled in the House of Commons for 21 sitting-days following signature for Members of Parliament to review and debate. It will then come into force once the Governor General has given it royal assent and the Chinese ratification process has been completed.

Canadian investment in China, which surged to record levels in 2010, was valued at approximately $5 billion – an increase of 38 per cent over 2009 levels.  Investment took place in a broad range of sectors including financial services, transportation and technology.

Chinese investment in Canada reached $14 billion in 2010, an increase of 9 percent from 2009. Chinese firms are actively investing abroad and have expressed a strong interest in investing in Canada. Sectors of interest include, among others, natural resources and renewable energy.

Canada currently has FIPAs in force with 24 countries and is engaged in active negotiations with 10 others.

BEIJING, CHINA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today launched the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)’s new 2012 tourism marketing campaign, which will promote tourism in Canada by showcasing the many wonders and unique experiences our country has to offer. The Prime Minister launched the campaign at the official opening of the CTC’s newly outfitted marketing centre in Beijing.

“The tourism industry creates jobs and economic growth in every region of our country,” said Prime Minister Harper.  “Thanks to the landmark Approved Destination Status (ADS) agreement reached with the Chinese government in 2009, there has been a huge increase in the number of Chinese visitors enjoying the pristine beauty and vibrant cities that Canada has to offer. The new tourism commission office and marketing campaign being announced today are further signs that this industry, which generates such goodwill between our two great countries, is flourishing.”

Designed to promote Canada as an all-season destination of choice, the CTC’s 2012 tourism campaign focuses on a collection of travel experiences –the Signature Experience Collection – that will be used to showcase Canada’s many tourist attractions to the world, including the centennial celebration of the Calgary Stampede, which will be a focal point of the CTC’s efforts in China this year.

Since Canada was granted ADS by China in 2009, it has welcomed approximately 25 percent more Chinese visitors, including an estimated 232,000 travellers in the first 11 months of 2011. The introduction of two new Canadian visas in 2011 – the Long-Term Multiple-Entry Visa and the Parents and Grandparents Super Visa –  are also contributing to an increase in the number of international visitors to Canada by making the visa application process easier and more efficient.  By increasing people to people connections, Canada is strengthening its economic cooperation with China.

Tourism is an important source of revenue for Canada, contributing nearly $15 billion to the economy in 2010.

This document is also available at http://pm.gc.ca

 

Backgrounder

Canadian Tourism Commission Marketing Campaign in China

Tourism is an increasingly important industry in Canada and a key driver of economic activity in every region of the country. In support of Canada’s efforts to increase tourism, on February 8, 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper officially launched the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)’s new 2012 tourism marketing campaign in Beijing, China. This campaign will promote tourism in Canada by showcasing the many wonders and unique experiences our country has to offer. The Prime Minister launched the campaign at the official opening of the CTC’s newly outfitted marketing centre in Beijing.

The Canadian Tourism Commission in China

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) established an office in China in 2005, recognizing that the country was a growing source of outbound tourism for the world. Since then, the CTC has built strong relationships with Chinese tour operators, media and Chinese government tourism authorities.

The CTC is bringing together an assortment of unique travel experiences called the Signature Experiences Collection, which will promote Canada as an all-season destination of choice, with its many tourist attractions. A centrepiece of this Collection for 2012 is the centennial celebration of the Calgary Stampede, which will be a key piece of the CTC’s international marketing campaign.

In addition to the CTC’s marketing efforts, Canada’s tourism industry has also benefited from securing Approved Destination Status from the Chinese Government, and the introduction in 2011 of two new Canadian visas which make it easier for international visitors to come to Canada.

Approved Destination Status (ADS)

In December 2009, the Chinese Government granted Approved Destination Status to Canada, allowing Chinese travel agents to advertise and organize group tours to Canada and to encourage more people from China to visit Canada.

Since being granted ADS, Canada has welcomed approximately 25 percent more Chinese visitors. The most recently released data suggest that Canada received nearly 232,000 travellers from China in the first 11 months of 2011.
10-year Multiple-Entry Visa and Parents and Grandparents Super Visa

Canada also recently introduced two visas that help make it easier for Chinese nationals and other international visitors to visit and stay in Canada. The Long-Term Multiple-Entry Visa, which came into effect in July 2011, and the Parents and Grandparents Super Visa, which came into effect in December 2011, aim to make applying for the visa easier and more efficient, strengthening cultural ties and bolstering Canada’s tourism sector.

The Long-Term Multiple-Entry Visa extends the maximum validity period from five years to 10 years (minus one month), or as long as the individual’s passport remains valid. This means that holders can come and go as they please from Canada over the 10-year validity period of the visa. This type of visa, which permits visitors to stay in Canada for up to six months at a time, is recommended for frequent visitors, such as business travellers or those with family in Canada.

The Parents and Grandparents Super Visa is also valid for up to 10 years and allows qualifying parents and grandparents to stay in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need to renew their status. With this new visa, eligible parents and grandparents pay fewer fees and have greater certainty that they will be able to enjoy the company of their families in Canada for a longer period of time.

St. Catharines, February 6, 2012 – The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, and Rick Dykstra, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, announced today the award of a $21.7 million contract to conduct the refit of the HMCS Athabaskan to Seaway Marine & Industrial Inc. (SMI) of St. Catharines.

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January 26, 2012
Davos, Switzerland
Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the following remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland:

“Thank you Professor Schwab for that kind introduction, I also want to thank you particularly for the invitation to speak here that you extended to me earlier this year. But more than that, Professor, you have made the World Economic Forum an indispensable part of the global conversation among leaders in politics, business, and civil society.  And in the face of continuing global economic instability, the opportunity this gathering provides is now more valuable than ever.  So I know everyone here joins me in thanking you for, in service of the common good, your vision and your leadership.

“My Greetings to Ambassador Santi; to the Governor of the Bank of Canada, known internationally as Chair of the Financial Stability Board, Mark Carney; to our hard-working Minister of International Trade, Ed Fast; and to the best finance minister on the planet, Jim Flaherty. And let me just say that I’m especially proud to see so many outstanding Canadian business leaders making their presence felt here in Davos.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I will use my time today to highlight Canada’s economic strengths and to frame the choices we face as we work to secure long-term prosperity for our citizens in a difficult global environment that is likely to remain so.

“As you know, Canada has economically outperformed most industrialized countries during these recent difficult years for the global economy.

“Forbes magazine ranks Canada as the best place on the planet for businesses to grow and create jobs. The OECD and the IMF predict our economy will again be among the leaders of the industrialized world over the next two years.

“And, one more cherished accolade, of course, is that for the fourth year in a row, this body, the World Economic Forum, says our banks are the soundest in the world.

“These evaluations are the result of sound fundamentals. Among G-7 countries, Canada has the lowest overall tax rate on new business investment. Our net debt-to-GDP ratio remains the lowest in the G-7 – and by far.

“And, while we remain concerned about the number of Canadians who are still out of work, Canada is one of only two G-7 countries to have recouped all of the jobs lost during the global recession.

“Indeed, more Canadians are now working, than before the downturn. How was this achieved?

“Faced with the worst global economic crisis since the 1930s, our Government implemented some of the most extensive and targeted economic stimulus measures of the G-20.

“We made historic investments in infrastructure. We encouraged businesses to invest and helped them to avoid layoffs.  We put substantial funding into skills training, and we extended support for workers who lost their jobs.

“These things we did on a timely, targeted and temporary basis. We did not create permanent new programs or government bureaucracy.  As a consequence, our deficit is now falling, our debt-GDP ratio has already peaked and we do not need to raise taxes.  I should add that we also did not reduce immigration or give in to protectionism.

“Instead, we have maintained the high levels of immigration that our ageing labour force of the future will require. We have continued to pursue new trade agreements.

“And we have taken action to make Canada, among G-20 countries, the first tariff-free zone for manufacturers. We have pursued these policies, Ladies and gentlemen, because our number-one priority as a government is prosperity, that is, economic growth and job creation.

“Now, that may sound obvious, almost clichéd. But is it really? As I look around the world, as I look particularly at developed countries, I ask whether the creation of economic growth, and therefore jobs, really is the number-one policy priority everywhere?

“Or is it the case, that in the developed world too many of us have, in fact, become complacent about our prosperity, taking our wealth as a given, assuming it is somehow the natural order of things, leaving us instead to focus primarily on our services and entitlements?

“Is it a coincidence that as the veil falls on the financial crisis, it reveals beneath it, not just too much bank debt, but too much sovereign debt, too much general willingness to have standards and benefits beyond our ability or even willingness to pay for them?

“I don’t know. But what I do know is this. First, that the wealth of western economies is no more inevitable than the poverty of emerging ones, and that the wealth we enjoy today has been based on – and only on – the good, growth-oriented policies, the right, often tough choices and the hard work done in the past.

“And second, that regardless of what direction other western nations may choose, under our Government, Canada will make the transformations necessary to sustain economic growth, job creation and prosperity now and for the next generation.

“That further means two things: making better economic choices now and preparing ourselves now for the demographic pressures the Canadian economy faces.

“On what we must do now, first, we will, of course, continue to keep tax rates down. That is central to our Government’s economic vision.  But we will do more, much more. In the months to come our Government will undertake major transformations to position Canada for growth over the next generation.

“For example, we will continue to make the key investments in science and technology necessary to sustain a modern competitive economy.  But we believe that Canada’s less than optimal results for those investments is a significant problem for our country.

“We have recently received a report on this – the Jenkins Report – and we will soon act on the problems the report identifies.

“We will continue to advance our trade linkages. We will pass agreements signed, particularly in our own hemisphere, and we will work to conclude major deals beyond it.

“We expect to complete negotiations on a Canada-EU free trade agreement this year.  We will work to complete negotiations on a free trade agreement with India in 2013.  And we will begin entry talks with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, while also pursuing other avenues to advance our trade with Asia. Of course, I will again be making an official visit to China very shortly.

“We will also continue working with the Obama administration to implement our joint ‘Beyond the Border’ initiative – our plan to strengthen and deepen our economic and security links to our most important partner.

“However, at the same time, we will make it a national priority to ensure we have the capacity to export our energy products beyond the United States and specifically to Asia.  In this regard, we will soon take action to ensure that major energy and mining projects are not subject to unnecessary regulatory delays – that is, delay merely for the sake of delay.

“This complements work we are already doing, and that we will move forward on, with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to cut the burden of red tape on entrepreneurs.

“We will also undertake significant reform of our immigration system. We will ensure that, while we respect our humanitarian obligations and family reunification objectives, we make our economic and labour force needs the central goal of our immigration efforts in the future.

“As I said earlier, one of the backdrops for my concerns is Canada’s ageing population. If not addressed promptly this has the capacity to undermine Canada’s economic position, and for that matter, that of all western nations, well beyond the current economic crises.

“Immigration does help us address that and will even more so in the future. Our demographics also constitute a threat to the social programs and services that Canadians cherish. For this reason, we will be taking measures in the coming months, not just to return to a balanced budget in the medium term, but also to ensure the sustainability of our social programs and fiscal position over the next generation.

“We have already taken steps to limit the growth of our health care spending over that period. We must do the same for our retirement income system.  Fortunately, the centerpiece of that system, the Canada Pension Plan, is fully funded, actuarially sound and does not need to be changed. For those elements of the system that are not funded, we will make the changes necessary to ensure sustainability for the next generation while not affecting current recipients.

“Let me summarize by saying, ladies and gentlemen, that, notwithstanding Canada’s many advantages, we remain very concerned about the continuing instability of the global economy of which we are a part. The problems afflicting Europe, and for that matter, the United States, are not only challenging today but, in my judgement, threaten to be even greater problems in the future.

“Having said that, each nation has a choice to make. Western nations, in particular, face a choice of whether to create the conditions for growth and prosperity, or to risk long-term economic decline.  In every decision, or failure, to decide we are choosing our future right now.

“And, as we all know, both from the global crises of the past few years and from past experience in our own countries, easy choices now mean fewer choices later.

“Canada’s choice will be, with clarity and urgency, to seize and to master our future, to be a model of confidence, growth, and prosperity in the 21^st century.

“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your kind attention.”

www.pm.gc.ca

 

The Government of Canada has made an investment in Brock University that will help it to partner with regional supporters to kick-start bio-manufacturing businesses in Niagara.

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St. Catharines – City councilors last night voted unanimously to support a resolution opposing New York State’s “unachievable” incoming ballast water regulations, urging the American and Canadian governments to take all possible measure to stop them from being implemented as proposed.

Stephen Brooks, vice-president of the Chamber of Marine Commerce, flanked by St. Catharines MP Rick Dykstra, made a presentation to council last night, outlining for councilors how potentially devastating these regulations could be for marine shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Afterward, he praised council for its support. “We’re pleased that the City of St. Catharines recognizes the potential harm that New York State’s regulations could bring to their city and region and we are hopeful that other Canadian and American cities around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway will also adopt similar resolutions.”

MP Dykstra reiterated Brooks’ position, saying the importance of opposing these measures cannot be overstated. “It is imperative that all of us work together to ensure the economic viability of the St. Lawrence Seaway is not compromised by these proposed regulations and I am very glad that the city of St. Catharines has joined in this effort.”

For more information on this issue, please see:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/mediaroom/releases-2011-h111e-6537.htm

For more information on the Chamber of Marine Commerce, please go to:

http://www.cmc-ccm.com/about.php

EDMONTON – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced support for Helmets to Hardhats, a program that will help provide Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and Reservists access to a range of careers within the construction industry, including apprenticeships in various building trades.

“Our Government is working hard to provide our dedicated military personnel, past and present, with the care, services, and financial support they need and deserve,” said Prime Minister Harper.  “We are truly proud to be part of the Helmets to Hardhats program which will help provide jobs and training opportunities for our brave Veterans, members of the Canadians Armed Forces and Reservists interested in transitioning to a career in the construction industry. The program will promote employment and economic growth while helping to meet labour needs in this sector.”

Helmets to Hardhats, a partnership with Canada’s Building Trades Unions, is an innovative partnership that brings union, private and public sector resources together to provide Veterans, members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Reservists with exclusive access to jobs and training opportunities in the construction industry, including administrative, engineering, human resources and onsite positions. The program will also stimulate growth by helping fill the much needed employment gap in the construction industry.

Candidates will be able to access information about careers and apprenticeships by telephone and from a newly developed Web site beginning in the spring of 2012. Veterans will be able to use the Helmets to Hardhats Web site to identify opportunities that interest them, and match their skill sets in the construction industry.

The Helmets to Hardhats program builds on existing programs under the New Veterans Charter which provides Veterans with the necessary support as they make the change from military to civilian life.

[Click Here] for PM announcement.

[Click Here] for CTV Edmonton coverage.

[Click Here] for Canada’s Action Plan announcement.

[Click Here] for Helmets to Hardhats business plan.

 Background

The Government of Canada is contributing $150,000 through Veteran Affairs Canada’s Community Engagement Partnership Fund to support Helmets to Hardhats, a program that brings union, private and public sector resources together to help provide Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and Reservists access to a range of careers within the construction industry including apprenticeships in various building trades. The program is modeled after the Helmets to Hardhats program in the United States, established in 2003.

The Helmets to Hardhats Canada program, a partnership with Canada’s Building Trades Unions, will benefit Veterans and Canadians by:

• Providing transitioning Veterans with exclusive access to jobs and training opportunities in the construction industry, where they can apply the skills they developed in the Canadian Armed Forces ;
• Helping them provide for their families and to contribute to their communities in a new way;
• Helping to meet labour needs in the construction sector; and
• Helping to generate employment that continues to fuel Canada’s long-term economic growth.

The Government’s contribution to the program will serve to assist with start-up costs including website development and promotional materials. In Canada, the program is set to begin in the spring of 2012.

The private sector is also an important partner in the program. To date, TransCanada Corporation has committed $1 million over 5 years to help strengthen the link between active military duty and civilian careers in the construction trades industry. Other private sector partners are also being sought.

The Helmets to Hardhats program complements existing programs available through Veterans Affairs Canada to help Veterans transition to civilian life:

• The Career Transition Services program, which is offered in partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces, helps Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans re-enter the civilian workforce by providing services that focus on three principal areas: job-search training, individual career counseling and job-finding assistance.
• The Rehabilitation Program provides a range of rehabilitation services, including vocational assistance, to medically releasing Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans who have service-related rehabilitation needs.

NEIL REYNOLDS OTTAWA— From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

In an end-of-year review of his government’s achievements in 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper noted Forbes magazine’s selection of Canada as the No. 1 country in the world to do business. (“Credit a reformed tax structure,” Forbes declared.) Mr. Harper was right to cite this distinction. On New Year’s Day, Canada’s corporate tax rate – federal and provincial rates combined – fell to 25 per cent, giving Canada the lowest rate in the Group of Seven countries, and a more competitive economy on a global basis.

The provinces (especially British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario) collaborated with Ottawa to reach this strategic objective, announced shortly after Mr. Harper formed his first minority government in 2006. But the federal government did the heavy lifting: a 33-per-cent tax rate cut, implemented incrementally over five years, in the stridently antagonistic environment of successive minority parliaments. In annual steps, the government lowered the federal rate from 22 per cent to 15 per cent. (The provincial collaborators now have a common rate of 10 per cent.)

Remarkably, the gradual lowering of the corporate tax rate appears to have resulted in little loss in corporate tax revenue (when compared with long-term, prerecession revenues). Corporate tax revenue did take a big hit ($10-billion) in 2008, the year of the market meltdown. But the tax cuts were barely started in 2008.

By 2010-2011, federal corporate tax revenue reached $30-billion, substantially more than the average of $25-billion in the last four years of the prior Liberal government: 2002 through 2005. Further, federal corporate tax revenue equalled 1.8 per cent of Canadian gross domestic product, a much higher percentage than the revenue produced during the recessionary years in the early 1990s. In tough-times 1992, for example, corporate revenue, with higher tax rates, fell to 1 per cent of GDP.

Economists predictably disagree on the economic importance of corporate tax rates, mostly on an ideological basis, but it makes good sense to keep this particular tax as low as possible. These taxes, after all, are a direct cost of doing business – and Canada’s corporate cuts ensure that this country will have a cross-border edge for the next two or three years at least. With a combined federal-state rate of 39.2 per cent, the United States has the second-highest rate in the world (after Japan, with 39.5 per cent).

Eventually, the U.S. will respond. Republican presidential candidates have embraced deep corporate tax cuts; some of them, such as Texas Governor Rick Perry, propose a federal corporate rate of 12.5 per cent. Mr. Perry’s position reflects the judgment of his tax adviser, Steven Forbes – owner and editor of the eponymous magazine that ranked Canada as the best business domicile in the world. Mr. Forbes takes taxes seriously. (He declined to support Mitt Romney because the former Massachusetts governor wouldn’t endorse a single-rate personal income tax. Mr. Forbes has mocked Mr. Romney’s 59-point platform for its complexity, saying: “God only had 10 points.”)

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum proposes a permanent zero-per-cent corporate tax rate on all manufacturing companies – and says he would tax capital gains at 12 per cent (or half the rate that a typical Canadian now pays). Former speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich proposes an optional 15-per-cent flat tax on personal income and the elimination of capital gains taxes for people who choose the flat-tax alternative. Mr. Romney proposes to eliminate capital gains taxes for people with less than $200,000 (U.S.) a year in taxable incomes.

In his own end-of-year review, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty noted the completion of his corporate rate-cut assignment. He set out six years ago to brand Canada as a low-tax jurisdiction for business investment. He succeeded. On this file, Mr. Flaherty’s performance was as good as it gets. Mr. Harper and Mr. Flaherty probably don’t expect coast-to-coast hosannas. Nevertheless, it’s seems a bit much that the most audible applause has come from a business magazine based in New York. In fact, the Canadian government achieved a great legislative success in pursuit of an important economic objective. For this, it deserves a round of Canadian-based applause.

Mr. Flaherty’s job isn’t finished. He acknowledged this last year when he said the government would proceed, in due course, with personal income tax reform by reducing the number of tax brackets from five to two or three. In a world of vast and highly entropic complexity, simplicity is always an indispensible public-policy goal.

Globe and Mail