FINA Committee Report

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Committee Report

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APPENDIX C: REQUESTS BY WITNESSES (WRITTEN BRIEFS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE)

Action Canada for Population and Development requests that the federal government:

· allocate 0.7% of Canada’s Gross National Product to official development assistance by 2015, with the development of a plan to reach this goal and to reach an interim goal of 0.5% by 2010;

· link foreign aid programs and expenditures to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals;

· target aid to poverty reduction;

· keep its promise to do its fair share to meet the Millennium Development Goals and the Cairo Programme of Action;

· urge Parliament to pass private member’s bills in respect of overseas development assistance, specifically Bills C-204, C-243 and C-293; and

· restructure the International Assistance Envelope in order to facilitate clear reporting of official development assistance and to allow greater transparency.

The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada requests that the federal government:

· refine the federal Strategic Aerospace & Defence Initiative.

The Alberta Association of Colleges and Technical Institutes requests that the federal government:

· invest in post-secondary education;

· enhance college and technical institute access to funding for innovation, applied research, product and process development, and commercialization;

· work with provincial/territorial leaders to support research capacity-building in colleges and technical institutes;

· promote and support issues of degree-granting, student mobility,
Internet-based learning opportunities, quality assurance and expanded use of learning outcomes as measurements of learning achievement;

· allocate significant, targeted funding for facilities and equipment in colleges; and

· examine and align federal funding and programs to ensure that skills training and education in colleges and technical institutes are fully supported through investments in innovation and entrepreneurial, human and physical capital.

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The Alberta Chiefs Assembly - Chiefs’ Fiscal Table (Alberta) requests that the federal government:

· create a direct transfer mechanism for the benefit of all Alberta First Nations, which would be predictable, sustainable, transparent, easily calculated, inclusive of all federal, provincial and municipal revenue streams, reflective of the fair value of lands placed into trust on a regional/provincial basis, and fiscally comparable on a real, per-capita basis to governmental programs and services available to Albertans living off-reserve;

· plan for and execute the devolution of Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) regional authorities to the First Nations or Band communities through government-to-government transfer agreements on a community-by-community basis;

· allocate funds for an immediate 30% increase in the elementary, secondary and post-secondary education budgets of the DIAND-Alberta region, to be transferred directly to all Alberta First Nations;

· immediately replace monies allocated to land settlements that would otherwise have been committed to programming for all First Nations across Canada; and

· ensure that, for every change in policy, there is a corresponding and appropriate change in basic First Nations funding formulae through supplementary appropriations.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges requests that the federal government:

· take the lead and move forward with governments, business, labour,
post-secondary institutions and other community groups to develop and implement a comprehensive, pan-Canadian workforce development agenda;

· separate post-secondary funding from the Canada Social Transfer and create a dedicated post-secondary education transfer fund;

· amend the Excise Tax Act in order to provide a 100% Goods and Services Tax rebate for public post-secondary institutions;

· amend the Canada Student Loans Program in order to expand the current
need-based grant allocation to two years for students from low-income families and for other under-represented groups;

· introduce a need-based allocation process designed to assist
middle-income families;

· renew the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation or introduce a similar initiative that would provide need-based grants;

· modify the Employment Insurance program to enable workers currently in the workforce to access funding for skills upgrading;

· introduce a national human resource investment tax credit program that would provide a credit to employers that train in partnership with Canada’s public post-secondary institutions;

· establish a tax credit incentive program to encourage businesses to provide internship and apprenticeship placements for students from Canada’s public post-secondary institutions; and

· create, within the Scientific Research and Experimental Development program, a fund that would enable colleges and institutes to assist small and medium-sized businesses in accessing the program.

The Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs Secretariat Inc. requests that the federal government:

· provide a direct financial investment, in the amount of $10 million annually for five years, to support the Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Plan of Action;

· provide a direct investment, in the amount of $5 million annually for five years, for an Aboriginal partnership internship/co-op program to support job integration in key sectors of the Atlantic economy;

· conduct a review of current base funding of First Nations communities in order to establish the 2007 base funding needed, and create a price/cost growth escalator as part of all future funding agreements for all basic programs and services; and

· provide adequate funding to ensure that Atlantic First Nations meet all basic legal water and infrastructure service requirements for 2008-2018.

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The BC Aboriginal Child Care Society requests that the federal government:

· allocate significant resources in order to establish a consistent and principled overall framework for Aboriginal early childhood development and early childhood education and care, developed collaboratively with First Nations and other Aboriginal leaders and including key actions and goals as well as ongoing and independent monitoring by national and international experts.

The BC Senior’s Cooperative for Federal Funding requests that the federal government:

· provide core funding; and

· enter into a service agreement with the BC Senior’s Cooperative for Federal Funding, initially for a two- or three-year term with an option to renew every five years after the program is proven to be successful.

The Beehive requests that the federal government:

· adopt a taxation system that uses a base percentage for taxation, regardless of the level of income, which would allow a simplified system with less spending for enforcement and an end to corporate taxes as well as higher government revenues;

· ensure the removal of all forms of hidden taxation, such as Employment Insurance premiums and provincial health care charges;

· cease activities that could be characterized as “monitoring the world’s economy”; and

· investigate reduced taxation of essential products, such as petroleum products.

Benstead Geological Limited requests that the federal government:

· ensure that taxation is broadly based;

· eliminate double taxation;

· ensure that taxes reflect the government services provided for individuals and businesses; and

· implement a flat tax.

Breakfast for Learning requests that the federal government:

· invest annual incremental amounts of $75 million to reach a total investment of $350 million annually in support of a national, school-based nutrition program.

The Caisse Desjardins Group requests that the federal government:

· ensure that changes to the tax system are guided by criteria that include effectiveness, equity and competitiveness;

· pay greater attention to personal income taxes;

· reconsider the decision to reduce further the Goods and Services Tax by one additional percentage point, with a view to instead reducing personal income taxes;

· consider a reduction in taxes on investment income;

· examine corporate tax measures that would promote the development of Canadian businesses;

· develop a tax credit program for start-up business investment;

· continue to pursue the goal of federal debt reduction;

· control increased spending;

· renew for a five-year period, and expand, the Co-operative Development Initiative;

· establish a new co-operative investment plan; and

· increase international development assistance to 0.44% of Gross National Product by 2010, and strengthen the role of co-operatives and other non-government organizations in its delivery.

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The Canadian Airports Council requests that the federal government:

· end the practice of charging airport rents and, as an interim measure, reform the definition of “revenue” that is used to calculate the rent through excluding airport improvement fees and revenue raised to cover debt servicing costs;

· enhance funding for the Airports Capital Assistance Program;

· ensure that the Canada Border Services Agency has adequate resources;

· re-evaluate the cost recovery approach in respect of the Canada Border Services Agency; and

· implement arrivals duty free shops as an option at Canadian airports.

The Canadian Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators requests that the federal government:

· review its education-related tax credits and consider redirecting a portion of the funding to means-tested programs that support high-need and under-represented groups;

· reduce the interest rates for Canada Student Loans to prime + 0.5% (floating) and prime + 3% (fixed);

· reduce the bankruptcy discharge period from ten years to seven years, with a hardship provision making it possible to appeal for discharge after a five-year period;

· extend the Canada Access Grant for low-income families to students in subsequent years of their programs, up to a maximum of four years;

· continue the mandate of the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation beyond 2010 or, failing renewal, create another program that would provide non-repayable assistance at the level currently being disbursed by the Foundation;

· increase the Canada Student Loans Program in-study work exemption to $100 per week;

· implement a federal student work study program;

· exempt all need-based awards administered by post-secondary institutions from the Canada Student Loans need-assessment calculation;

· institute a review process in order to adjust the weekly assistance limits under the Canada Student Loans Program, with such a review undertaken at least every three years;

· increase the weekly lifetime limits under the Canada Student Loans Program; and

· implement an unsubsidized parental loan program to fund the costs of post-secondary education.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers requests that the federal government:

· over the next five years, raise and maintain the proposed post-secondary education fund at 0.5% of Gross Domestic Product;

· replace the Canada Social Transfer with separate, stand-alone funds for social services and post-secondary education, with the newly established post-secondary education transfer governed by a post-secondary education act modelled on the Canada Health Act and with clear responsibilities and expectations for the federal and provincial/territorial governments, pan-Canadian guidelines and principles, enforcement mechanisms, and long-term and stable funding formulae;

· convert the Canada Education Savings Grant and the Canada Learning Bond programs as well as the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation to a fully need-based grants program that would provide assistance to eligible students in all years of their program;

· substantially increase the income threshold for determining eligibility for student loan interest relief and increase the maximum amount of debt reduction for borrowers experiencing difficulty in meeting their loan payments;

· provide full financial assistance, on a non-taxable basis, to all qualified First Nations peoples who wish to pursue a university or college education; and

· enhance unrestricted research funding available through the federal granting councils by doubling the unrestricted grants available through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and increasing funding for unrestricted grants through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research by 15% each.

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The Canadian Bankers Association requests that the federal government:

· reduce corporate and personal taxes;

· ensure that enhanced international competitiveness is a key criterion guiding federal decisions about changes to taxes, fees and other charges;

· at a minimum, ensure that corporate income taxes are competitive with other key jurisdictions, and — preferably — create an advantage for Canadian firms;

· accelerate the schedule for legislated reductions in the corporate income tax rate and reduce the tax rate to 16.5% by 2012;

· reduce the marginal effective tax rate on individuals, with a short-term focus on the lowest income tax bracket; and

· ensure that the tax system is broadly based, neutral, efficient, equitable and predictable.

The Canadian Cancer Society requests that the federal government:

· increase federal tobacco taxes by $10 per carton of 200 cigarettes;

· close the loophole whereby roll-your-own tobacco and tobacco sticks are taxed at a relatively lower rate than cigarettes;

· ensure that any future reductions in the Goods and Services Tax are accompanied by small increases in tobacco taxes;

· implement stronger prevention measures to address the problem of low-priced contraband cigarettes;

· reverse funding reductions in respect of, and provide sustainable funding for, Health Canada’s Tobacco Control Programme;

· on a priority basis, restore funding for and resume a comprehensive anti-smoking mass media campaign;

· on a priority basis, introduce a program to replace the First Nations and Inuit Tobacco Control Strategy;

· include health charities in the federal indirect costs of research program;

· invest in a long-term and sustainable palliative/end-of-life care strategy in Canada;

· facilitate the ongoing alignment, coordination and implementation of the pan-Canadian chronic disease strategies, including the strategies for cancer, heart, diabetes, lung and mental health; and

· invest in the pan-Canadian Chronic Disease Prevention Framework and Action Plan.

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network requests that the federal government:

· increase the basic personal amount to $15,322 for taxable incomes less than $36,378, with a progressive clawback to $8,839 for incomes above $36,378;

· reduce the tax rate for the lowest personal tax bracket to 12.75%;

· increase the top personal tax rate to 31.5% applied to income above $250,000;

· increase the Canada Child Tax Benefit by $1,500, funded in part through a reallocation of the Universal Child Care Allowance;

· immediately and permanently increase the share of federal gas tax revenues available to municipalities to $0.05 per litre, and earmark these funds for poverty-focused community economic development;

· increase the corporate tax rate by 0.5 percentage points, with the funds used to finance various investment programs in communities;

· amend the Tax Back Guarantee initiative and allocate the funds to selected areas;

· adopt a social-return-on-investment framework for evaluating the costs and benefits of federal debt reduction;

· create a Registered Retirement Savings Plan-eligible community economic development tax credit;

· in co-operation with the provinces/territories, municipalities and donor organizations, create a community investment capital fund available for community, not-for-profit organizations to access capital;

· expand program investments in place-based poverty-reduction initiatives operated by not-for-profit organizations;

· develop a procurement strategy for government that gives preference to community-based businesses that create opportunities for disadvantaged Canadians, including a legislative initiative to facilitate purchasing from social enterprise and funding for a communications strategy to raise awareness of the benefits of socially minded procurement; and

· develop a comprehensive, affordable housing spending program for low-income Canadians, including renewal and extension of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy and the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program for five years, extension of the mandate of the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative, a reversal of the $45 million annual reduction to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s housing programs budget, and a $1.3 billion annual increase in funding to expand and repair the social housing stock.

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The Canadian Co-operative Association requests that the federal government:

· renew for five years, and expand, the Co-operative Development Initiative;

· establish a new co-operative investment plan;

· increase international development assistance to 0.44% of Gross National Product by 2010, and strengthen the role of co-operatives and other non-government organizations in its delivery;

· within the context of a revised agriculture policy framework, ensure that
co-ops have full access to all applicable business development programs, loan guarantees and specific programs such as the recently renewed Agricultural Co-operative Development Initiative;

· develop a program for community-based environmental programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;

· with provincial/territorial governments, develop a national anti-poverty strategy, with timetables and targets as well as a particular focus on First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, women, people with disabilities and recent immigrants;

· create a national system of not-for-profit child care, including co-operative child care and nursery centres in order to develop and implement a quality, universal, affordable and developmental child care strategy;

· make investments to reduce core housing need, with targeted federal funding and delivery by the provinces/territories;

· develop a policy on domestic food sustainability that ensures the growth, processing and distribution of more of our domestic food needs from Canadian sources;

· recognize and assist locally developed food system infrastructures;

· ensure that the tax system provides sufficient funds for all levels of government to provide the public goods and services that are necessary for Canada’s economy to operate effectively and to assure a society that is based on social inclusion of all of its citizens and that contributes at the international level to the Millennium goals of the United Nations; and

· ensure that, in the tax system, there is a just division point between what individuals and corporations are asked to pay in taxes.

The Canadian Council on Social Development requests that the federal government:

· review the decision about the level of the escalator for the Canada Social Transfer and increase the escalator in order to restore funding to its 1994-1995 level (in real terms) as quickly as possible;

· in collaboration with the provinces/territories, engage in broad consultations with Canadians in order to develop a set of common principles and objectives as well as a vision for the future of Canada’s social programs; and

· in collaboration with the provinces/territories and in consultation with other stakeholders, develop a comprehensive strategy to measure and monitor Canada’s social programs and social outcomes as well as to foster the sharing of best practices and innovation across the country.

The Canadian Federation for Promoting Family Values requests that the federal government:

· consider federal debt reduction as a fixed expense, and allocate at least $10 billion to debt reduction for 2008-2009, with a view to attaining a federal debt target of $400 billion by 2012;

· ensure a one-tier health care system with user fees, national pharmacare, catastrophic drug benefits, a dental program for low-income seniors and low-income families with children, increased medical attention for rural Canadians and an assurance that the health care system is
cost-efficient;

· continue to increase benefits to, and reduce taxes on, low-income families with children;

· increase the basic personal amount to $12,000;

· ensure that single, low-income seniors can retire with a guaranteed income of $25,000 per year, with consideration given to net worth and need;

· engage in aggressive collective bargaining with unions and associations supporting government, education, and health care professionals and workers;

· ensure that public servants and educators spend five years in the private sector before being permitted to assume senior responsibilities in their chosen field;

· ensure the existence of a “watch dog” to examine the expenditures of the Department of National Defence;

· ensure that each Canadian receives a report of their individual expenditures on, and benefits from, all major social programs;

· increase the tax deductibility in respect of tools and equipment for trades people;

· ensure that all immigrants to Canada are subject to stronger loyalty requirements;

· expand second language development in pre-schools and primary schools;

· introduce first-time home ownership mortgage interest tax deductibility for those with total family income less than $40,000; and

· apply capital gains tax on the sale of principal residences exceeding $1 million.

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The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action requests that the federal government:

· ensure that all tax policy proposals undergo gender analysis as part of the development of the federal budget;

· repeal the Income Tax Act provisions that enable pension income splitting or, in the absence of this measure, not expand the pension income splitting provisions to other types of couples or income; and

· before introducing any changes in respect of income splitting, conduct a thorough study of the impact of the proposed changes on women.

The Canadian Fertilizer Institute requests that the federal government:

· ensure that the tax system rewards investment in expanded production, new technology and environmental measures;

· ensure the existence of transportation and labour legislation that would allow the fertilizer industry to keep commitments to export markets around the world and to farmers in Canada;

· implement training and immigration policies that would provide the skilled workers needed by fertilizer companies;

· implement a national energy strategy that would encourage adequate supplies of natural gas for industries such as fertilizer;

· implement environmental policies based on realistic, achievable goals, especially with respect to air emissions;

· ensure the existence of policies which would recognize that, unlike oil, there is no global market for natural gas at the present time;

· recognize the need to support natural gas exploration and the development of new sources of supply;

· ensure the existence of a streamlined regulatory approval process for energy and pipeline projects while continuing to achieve social and environmental objectives;

· develop an effective, national biofuels strategy supported by all levels of government;

· develop inclusive policies that foster better educational outcomes and greater labour force participation by Aboriginal Canadians;

· extend the 50% accelerated capital cost allowance for manufacturing and processing for an additional five years;

· reduce the general corporate tax rate to 15%; and

· ensure maximum flexibility in the design of compliance options in respect of greenhouse gas and air emissions.

The Canadian Geoexchange Coalition requests that the federal government:

· include geoexchange technology as a separate category in respect of Class 43.1;

· ensure that the parts of geoexchange systems that are not part of the building can qualify for Class 43.1 and Class 43.2;

· stipulate that geoexchange systems serving small and medium-sized enterprises, in installations defined as “residential” under Canadian Standards Association standard C-448-02 (2006) Design and Installation of Earth Energy Systems, require Canadian Geoexchange Coalition system certification to qualify for Class 43.1 consideration; and

· link taxes or incentives to the comprehensive Canadian Geoexchange Global Quality GeoExchange Program.

The Canadian Housing and Renewal Association requests that the federal government:

· ensure the continued viability and sound condition of not-for-profit and
co-operative housing; and

· consider whether it would be appropriate for it to take responsibility for not-for-profit and co-operative projects that experience financial difficulty, with a specific assistance budget established for this purpose.

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The Canadian Make Poverty History Campaign requests that the federal government:

· implement a plan to make poverty history, globally, in Canada and among Aboriginal peoples;

· develop a tax system that would enable the implementation of a plan to make poverty history;

· involve groups where poverty is predominant, including Aboriginal peoples, women, minorities and youth, in the design and implementation of a domestic poverty-reduction strategy;

· engage all levels of government in the development of a comprehensive poverty-reduction strategy for Canada;

· commit to a timetable to reach the goal of 0.7% of Gross National Product by 2015 allocated to official development assistance;

· implement a national housing strategy, with a goal to build at least 25,000 social housing units annually;

· implement a national child care and early childhood education program;

· improve the Employment Insurance program in order to ensure that more of those who become unemployed can qualify for benefits;

· reinstate a federal minimum wage and set it at $10 per hour, indexed to inflation;

· implement the Kelowna Accord without further delay;

· increase the Canada Child Tax Benefit, or equivalent provincial benefit, to $5,100 annually per child and ensure that provincial/territorial clawbacks do not occur; and

· create a national pharmacare plan that would provide first-dollar coverage for prescription drugs.

The Canadian National Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites requests that the federal government:

· implement an economic development program that would provide income tax incentives, and eliminate existing disincentives, for the rehabilitation of aging building stock in Canada;

· implement tax credits for the rehabilitation of historic buildings, including for properties not listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places and with a higher value for properties on the Register;

· implement changes that would link architectural conservation incentives to affordable housing initiatives;

· implement changes that would link architectural conservation to environmental incentives;

· ensure that heritage property donations are treated in a manner consistent with the tax benefits provided to donors of ecologically sensitive lands; and

· implement the recommendations of the Auditor General of Canada in respect of federal heritage properties.

The Canadian Olympic Committee requests that the federal government:

· invest $30 million annually through 2012 to begin implementing the Road to Excellence Business Plan.

The Canadian Shipowners Association requests that the federal government:

· immediately eliminate the 25% vessel import duty on newbuilds, with any duty paid during the short transition period occurring at the rate of 1/120;

· maintain the 25% vessel import duty for the next ten years in respect of imported second-hand vessels, and then eliminate the duty; and

· retain indefinitely the 25% vessel import duty in respect of vessel repairs.

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The Canadian Vintners Association requests that the federal government:

· reduce the federal excise duty on wine to $0.556 per litre;

· support the creation of a national grape and wine research strategy that would encompass the entire grape and wine production value chain;

· support investments by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in grape and wine research and development;

· amend section 44(1) of the Income Tax Act to include replant expenditure deductions for expensing the replacement of one type of plant with a different plant;

· allocate increased financial resources to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program;

· provide increased resources to the Internal Trade Secretariat in order to enable it to explore ways to remove interprovincial/interterritorial barriers so that direct-to-consumer trade and movement of domestic wines across Canada could occur; and

· adopt a principled approach in making tax policy decisions, with a focus on the principles of certain, neutral, fair, simple, competitive, transparent, responsive and holistic.

The Canadian Worker Cooperative Federation (in association with the Canadian Co-operative Association, the Conseil Canadien de la Coopération, The Co-operators Group, the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada, the Credit Union Central of Canada and the Caisses Desjardins Group) requests that the federal government:

· renew for a five-year period, and expand, the Co-operative Development Initiative;

· establish a new co-operative investment plan; and

· increase international development assistance to 0.44% of Gross National Product by 2010, and strengthen the role of co-operatives and other non-governmental organizations in its delivery.

The City of Montréal requests that the federal government:

· ensure the longevity of the sharing of federal gas tax revenues as well as existing programs for urban infrastructure;

· adopt the national public transit strategy proposed by the Big City Mayors Caucus, which would require annual investments of $2 billion;

· share the equivalent of 1% of the Goods and Services Tax with municipalities;

· continue to act in the area of housing by ensuring the longevity of federal programs and their funding at a level that meets community needs, working with the provincial/territorial and municipal governments as well as with municipal organizations to develop a long-term strategy for social housing and homelessness, and making the terms and conditions of programs more flexible, particularly concerning beneficiaries and stipulated timeframes; and

· remit its fair share of payments in lieu of property taxes.

The Clean Air Renewable Energy Coalition requests that the federal government:

· expand the ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program to support 12,000 megawatts of low-impact renewable energy by extending the application date to 2015, as an intermediate target toward the goal of 15% of Canadian electricity from Ecologo certified low-impact renewables by 2020.

The Conférence régionale des élus de la Chaudière-Appalaches requests that the federal government:

· undertake an assessment of all manufacturing sectors and subsectors over the next ten years, including comparisons of changes in the number of jobs, the number of companies, earnings, contributions to Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and government tax revenues, and prepare a detailed analysis of each industrial sector;

· establish a national commission to undertake an extensive consultation process on the future of the manufacturing sector and Canadian-manufactured products, with the objective of requesting measures that would ensure sustainability and growth in the manufacturing sector in a global market context;

· implement financial assistance programs for companies in troubled manufacturing sectors, including guaranteed loans and interest-free or low-interest loans for purchases of capital expenditures, with the aim of increasing productivity and maintaining appropriate working capital for the company;

· allow 50% accelerated depreciation, for manufacturing companies, on purchases of new and used advanced-technology machinery and major capital expenditures, for a period of up to ten years;

· implement a 5% tax credit on all purchases of new equipment, provided the manufacturing company has federal taxes payable before the deduction of the accelerated depreciation, with the credit deferred for five years if not entirely used;

· set forth an economic development policy for manufacturing companies consistent with the principles of measurable results, rigorous eligibility and application rules, funding that reflects sector realities and needs, funding by industry sector, time-limited funding that is reasonable with respect to anticipated benefits, and funding with a maximum limit;

· make research and development (R&D) a national priority, and encourage companies to allocate an annual minimum percentage of earnings to R&D for new products and processes;

· increase the credit rate for R&D for manufacturing companies once a given threshold is achieved, with a further increase once the next threshold is achieved;

· provide training, coaching and financial support to manufacturing companies seeking to explore international markets other than the U.S.;

· maintain and promote the development of the emergency measures training centre in the Saint-Romuald district of Lévis; and

· reassess its position regarding navigation aids, icebreaking and dredging in respect of the St. Lawrence River.

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The Conseil Canadien de la Coopération requests that the federal government:

· explicitly recognize the importance of the co-op sector to the economic development of communities;

· renew, for a five-year period, the agreement that would continue the Co-operative Development Initiative after 2008, with an allocation of $30 million to the Advisory Services and Innovation and Research components, and $70 million in an Investment Fund;

· increase international development assistance to 0.44% of Gross National Product by 2010, and strengthen the role of co-operatives and other non-governmental organizations in its delivery; and

· establish a nationwide co-operative investment plan for agricultural co-ops and workers co-ops.

The Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada requests that the federal government:

· ensure that the tax system allows governments to invest in the programs and services required to ensure that Canadians are well-housed, healthy, productive and competitive with other nations;

· working in partnership with governments and those from the co-operative, not-for-profit and private housing sectors, make targeted investments in order to reduce core housing need;

· in partnership with governments and housing co-operatives, reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions through a five-year, $30 million federal program of loans and incentives to support
energy-saving retrofits in housing co-operatives;

· renew for a five-year period, and expand, the Co-operative Development Initiative;

· establish a new co-operative investment plan; and

· increase international development assistance to 0.44% of Gross National Product by 2010, and strengthen the role of co-operatives and other non-government organizations in its delivery.

Copley, Susan requests that the federal government:

· review fees charged by corporations.

The Credit Union Central of Canada requests that the federal government:

· in respect of federal taxes, user fees and other charges, ensure that they are efficient in the manner in which they collect revenue for the government, adequate in terms of providing the government with the revenue required to avoid a budgetary deficit, applied in a manner that is fair to those who have to pay them, operating in a manner that does not impede economic and productivity growth, and competitive with other jurisdictions;

· in respect of the Competition Bureau’s user-fee policy, particularly the flat $50,000 fee charged to review all notifiable merger transactions (including mergers between relatively small credit unions), consider two alternatives: set a lower base user fee combined with a sliding scale fee based on assets and/or revenue or based on a billable hours approach; or adjust the merger notification thresholds; and

· in respect of its policy in relation to the collection of crown super-priorities, consider two alternatives: provide a “carve out” in the Crown’s super-priority for equipment that was funded for purchase by a lender; or take action regarding the reliability of the information provided to creditors in relation to possible arrears to the Canada Revenue Agency.

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Crosstown Heating & Ventilating (Calgary) Ltd. requests that the federal goverment:

· simplify the collection of taxes.

The Directors Guild of Canada requests that the federal government:

· provide a five-year commitment of stable funding to the Canadian Television Fund, with a minimum annual level of funding of $100 million;

· provide a five-year commitment of stable funding to Telefilm Canada;

· provide a minimum five-year commitment of increased and stable funding to the CBC/Radio-Canada;

· increase the rate of the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit to between 27% and 30%;

· broaden the base of the Canadian Film or Video Production Services Tax Credit to cover all expenditures on Canadian goods and services while maintaining the credit at its current level of 16%; and

· renew funding commitments to Canada’s Coalition for Cultural Diversity for the development of the International Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (the Instrument) to at least current levels of financing, and provide funding to the Instrument’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity.

Fanshawe College requests that the federal government:

· alleviate barriers to college education for students from low- and middle-income families through revisions to student loan and scholarship programs;

· increase the Goods and Services Tax rebate for colleges;

· provide training to employers and employees;

· implement tax incentives directed at research and development in the areas of business organization, technical skills, managerial skills and enterprise productivity; and

· ensure transparency and accountability in post-secondary education funding by separating federal post-secondary funding from the Canada Social Transfer.

The Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec requests that the federal government:

· when making changes to the tax system, consider the three principles of the competitiveness of individuals and businesses; a long-term perspective with the emphasis on sustainable economic development; and neutrality, coherence and effectiveness;

· shift taxation from corporations to individuals;

· reduce the corporate income tax rate to 18.5% immediately;

· establish industrial policies focused on increasing the competitiveness of businesses;

· focus on preferential tax arrangements in order to attract more
value-added businesses;

· consider a tax exemption for the royalties on patented products with high added value, such as chemical, pharmaceutical and biotechnological products;

· ensure that, to the extent possible, the federal tax system is aligned with the tax systems of other Canadian jurisdictions;

· work with the other levels of government to increase the consistency and complementarity of Canada’s fiscal policies;

· accelerate repayment of the federal debt by continuing to limit the growth in federal public spending to a level below the rate of growth in income while emphasizing the allocation of budgets to future structural expenditures and relying on economic growth to reduce public spending;

· ensure that the Canadian economy remains diversified;

· institute policies that would protect the domestic economy against imbalances in wealth among the provinces/territories;

· improve the transfer payment system before proposing a new arrangement for sharing the tax room;

· re-assess the merit of preferential tax rates through reviewing, for example, the preferential tax rates for companies that develop energy resources, such as petrol and natural gas;

· implement tax measures to encourage the modernization of production processes;

· implement tax credits for research and development;

· reduce personal income taxes rather than lowering the consumption tax; and

· review the personal income tax system with a view to improving Canada’s ability to attract, retain and integrate talent.

The First Nations Tax Commission requests that the federal government:

· assist First Nations in improving their infrastructure, including through a specialized First Nations infrastructure program with funding of $125 million over five years;

· work with the First Nations Tax Commission to promote the First Nations Goods and Services Tax (FNGST) to interested First Nations and commit to matching FNGST revenues in order to support economic infrastructure development; and

· implement a support program to develop a pilot for a sustainable First Nations housing system, including a commitment of $250 million to a five-year First Nations home equity program.

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The Fitness Industry Council of Canada requests that the federal government:

· extend the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit to all active Canadians or introduce an adult fitness tax credit.

Fleet Safety International Corp. requests that the federal government:

· ensure that expenses which affect the country as a whole, such as infrastructure, health care and education, be broadly based;

· implement initiatives that would support corporate growth and viability;

· simplify the tax system in order to make tax reporting less onerous and less expensive; and

· ensure that the Canadian tax system is competitive with other tax systems.

The Friends of Canadian Broadcasting requests that the federal government:

· fund the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s local radio expansion plan;

· take actions to reach the long-term goal of increasing funding for Canadian public broadcasting to at least the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 0.14% of Gross Domestic Product;

· provide stable, long-term and increased funding to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Radio-Canada;

· reform the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s financing such that, in return for reducing or eliminating its reliance on advertising revenues, the Corporation’s public funding would increase either from general revenues or from charges to the television distribution system; and

· introduce 15 local stations in under-served areas across the country, with funding of approximately $25 million as a one-time allocation and an annual amount of $25 million for operating expenses.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, the Toronto District School Board and the Trillium Lakelands District School Board request that the federal government:

· amend the Excise Tax Act in order to ensure a full rebate on the Goods and Services Tax paid by universities, colleges, school boards and hospitals and on behalf of scholarly research materials.

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The Human Early Learning Partnership (associated with the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, the Simon Fraser University, the University of Northern British Columbia, the Thompson Rivers University and the University of British Columbia - Okanagan) requests that the federal government:

· expand parental leave to include a benefit period exclusively for fathers and to make leave affordable to modest-income families; and

· fund child care services.

Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Canada requests that the federal government:

· update the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit classification and expand Flow Through Share deductions for Canadian Renewable and Conservation Expenses (CRCE) to include research and development expenses for the hydrogen and fuel cell sector;

· support early purchasers of hydrogen and fuel cell products, including through purchaser incentives equal to the incremental cost of new hydrogen and fuel cell products over incumbent technologies;

· support the early purchase of hydrogen and fuel cell products by Canada’s energy and transportation sectors as well as by public and not-for-profit agencies through supporting the incremental costs of these products;

· support a purchaser tax credit, for at least the next decade, for hydrogen and fuel cell products;

· invest, through a solicitation process, in an amount that equals the research and development commitments by the industry;

· support demonstration activities to help ensure that Canada maintains its technology leadership; and

· adopt and implement the National Strategy for Canada’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Sector that is currently awaiting action in National Resources Canada.

The Centrale des Syndicats Démocratiques (CSD), the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) and the Fédération des travailleurs et des travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) request that the federal government:

· with the provincial/territorial governments, establish, review every five years, and allocate 70% of the funds required for an income support program for workers aged 55 and older who have been laid off as a result of a collective dismissal or company shutdown, can demonstrate that they have been active in the labour market for at least ten of the last 30 years, and have skills that do not permit them to find substantially gainful employment in their region.

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The Investment Counsel Association of Canada requests that the federal government:

· amend Bill C-10 in the Second Session of the Third-Ninth Parliament in order to ensure that tax-exempt accounts are not inadvertently penalized along with those that wrongfully evade paying their fair share of Canadian tax;

· amend the Income Tax Act to make the threshold for commercial trusts to qualify as Mutual Fund Trusts reflective of investment realities; and

· expedite the process to prescribe foreign stock exchanges for the purpose of the Income Tax Act.

The Just for Laughs Festival requests that the federal government:

· develop, at the federal level, public support for the performing arts industry, especially for the live performance production sector;

· ensure greater balance and equity in public support, having regard to the performing arts sector;

· consider the introduction of a refundable tax credit, inspired by the Quebec model and perhaps managed by the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office, for the production of live performances; and

· consider the implementation of a performance-based funding system for indoor productions, inspired by the Canadian Feature Film Fund and perhaps managed by Telefilm Canada.

Lafferty, Patrick requests that the federal government:

· allocate innovation funding for a few disease and/or technology-specific networks in the amount of $100 million annually per network;

· increase funding to the nation’s best scientists;

· provide a separate, private and public sector peer-reviewed fund of at least $100 million for partnered clinical trials and intellectual property development; and

· in consultation with the provincial/territorial governments, academic health centres, researchers, investors, and the life science and information industries, provide integrative political and public policy leadership.

Lépine, Marthe requests that the federal government:

· undertake an in-depth study of the application and effects of the Goods and Services Tax (GST);

· review the process of collecting the GST, with a view to streamlining the process and reducing the number of small businesses required to collect, administer and remit the GST;

· review the Streamlined Accounting (GST) Regulations in order to correct the unfair double taxation that often results from their application; and

· increase the threshold under which a small business does not have to collect the GST.

NDMAC (formerly, the Non-prescription Drug Manufacturers Association of Canada) requests that the federal government:

· provide individual financial incentives to encourage and enable Canadians to practice self-care when it is appropriate to do so;

· amend the Income Tax Act to allow a tax credit for Canadians using self-care health products with a valid drug identification number or natural health product number;

· expand the current tax credit for physical fitness to include regulated non-prescription medicines and natural health products;

· introduce measures to support and stimulate efforts by Canadians to manage and improve their health through self-care initiatives, including through extending the health-related tax measures for family fitness programs to families practising self-care; and

· recognize the health care cost savings associated with Canadians using self-care products.

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The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology requests that the federal government:

· enhance the focus on research and development in Canada’s colleges and technical institutes to foster more knowledge-based collaborations between these institutes and industry and to ensure that federal funding is allocated to this sector of Canada’s post-secondary system.

The Honourable Jim Prentice, P.C., M.P. (on behalf of the residents of Calgary Centre-North) requests that the federal government:

· ensure that the design of the tax system is guided by the principles of fairness, transparency, simplicity, balance and accountability;

· ensure that the tax system avoids double taxation;

· ensure that changes to the tax system are broadly based, with a focus on reducing the overall tax rate;

· ensure that taxpayers see the value for the tax dollars that are collected;

· ensure the existence of corporate taxes that are competitive with other Group of Eight countries;

· ensure that tax policy is not used to create new industries that should be market-driven, but rather is used to drive sectors where Canada has the strength to be stronger;

· provide lower rates of taxation for domestic companies than
foreign-owned companies;

· implement an exit tax on corporations ceasing operations in Canada;

· develop incentives for companies to locate their headquarters in Canada, including through an exemption from corporate taxes on gains arising from the disposal of qualifying shares and a wide double tax relief for foreign taxes levied on dividends received by a Canadian resident company;

· reduce the small business tax rate;

· reduce personal taxation;

· implement a flat tax in respect of personal income taxation;

· adjust the personal income tax brackets;

· increase the basic personal amount;

· consider the low income cut-offs of Statistics Canada when determining the level of the basic personal amount;

· provide a mix of federal taxes, fees and other charges, including user fees and other forms of consumption taxes;

· ensure that the balance between personal and corporate taxes is based on the actual costs associated with the services rendered and the resources used, and that the two principles of sustaining Canada’s economic policy and competitiveness and of encouraging and retaining businesses in Canada are recognized; and

· ensure that taxes are used only to recover costs and not to direct policy, unless under extraordinary circumstances.

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The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada requests that the federal government:

· with the provincial/territorial governments, commit $25 million annually for ten years to geoscience mapping through support for the Cooperative Geological Mapping Strategies;

· continue the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit;

· treat the exploration for base metals in the vicinity of existing and formerly operating mines as a Canadian Exploration Expense;

· amend the Income Tax Act in order that a resource property on the site of a former mine that has been shut down or has been inactive for a continuous period of at least 60 months is deemed to be a “new mine;”

· take measures to maximize the land base available in Canada for mineral exploration and development, and minimize the impediments to carrying out exploration activities on Crown land in an efficient and timely manner;

· develop resource revenue-sharing agreements with Aboriginal peoples;

· with the provincial/territorial governments, work with the mineral sector to continue to improve the regulatory environment in which the Canadian exploration and development sector operates; and

· with the provincial/territorial governments, work with the mineral sector to promote Canada as one of the most attractive places to explore, mine and process minerals, and as a centre of excellence in geoscience education, training, financing, exploration, services, supplies, sustainable development and mining.

The Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology requests that the federal government:

· renew its support for post-secondary skills and technical education;

· renew its support for innovative taxation practices that support business partners and providers of skills and technical training;

· ensure the existence of tax measures that support businesses in the recruitment and retention of recent graduates;

· ensure the existence of tax measures that provide an incentive for more co-operative education/apprenticeship training;

· provide a tax credit to companies that guarantee employment opportunities for graduates of selected training programs;

· reduce impediments to Employment Insurance support for students interested in selected training opportunities;

· increase grants and financing for Aboriginal students;

· implement tax incentives for employers that hire Aboriginal graduates;

· make further refinements to the proposed plans for the Youth Employment Strategy and the Employment Insurance program;

· support students in respect of the indirect costs of post-secondary education, including housing, child care and transportation;

· assist and recognize spouses who are supporting their student partners;

· implement a new, national system of student loans and loan re-payment plans;

· support co-op and experiential learning during a program of studies;

· provide institutions, businesses and students with a tax incentive if they hire or are employed, as the case may be, during a program of study;

· ensure the existence of tax measures that build applied research opportunities; and

· ensure the existence of tax measures that assist with student financial support.

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Smith, Beverley requests that the federal government:

· notice how tax policy affects those whose work is unpaid.

Spirits of Kensington requests that the federal government:

· give tax advantages to small businesses.

The St. John’s Board of Trade requests that the federal government:

· enhance the taxation system in order to ensure a Canadian tax regime that sets the nation apart as a desirable location for business, capital and talent, and that encourages work effort, saving, investment and
risk-taking;

· develop a multi-year plan to review personal income taxes, with a view to further reductions in marginal rates over time;

· accelerate the schedule for announced general corporate tax rate reductions, as fiscal conditions permit;

· increase the small business income threshold;

· establish a plan to reduce further the small business tax rate over time;

· reduce further the federal debt by allocating the unused Contingency Fund amounts, as well as any unanticipated surplus at year-end, to debt reduction;

· ensure that annual federal program spending grows at a sustainable rate, generally consistent with the rates of inflation and population growth, and is targeted to areas that have a direct bearing on the country’s productivity and competitiveness, such as skills, education and infrastructure;

· establish and make permanent the federal public-private partnerships (P3) office announced in the 2007 federal budget;

· work with the other levels of government in order to encourage and guide involvement in infrastructure and service P3s;

· in conjunction with proponents of P3s, actively promote and raise the awareness of their benefits; and

· reduce the overregulation that limits Canada’s competitiveness and ability to attract investment, with a view to ensuring the existence of a regulatory environment that is efficient, flexible and transparent.

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The Union des producteurs agricoles requests that the federal government:

· provide financial assistance to the agriculture sector;

· develop an agricultural policy that is competitive with that in other countries;

· in respect of the renewed agricultural policy framework, ensure: additional federal government funding equal to the amount disbursed in special assistance since 2001, to be invested in provincial programs; that concrete expression is given to the notion of flexibility, especially in terms of the development and implementation of provincial programs; a seamless transition to the new framework; a transition to the new framework that occurs in partnership with agricultural producers; and, producer involvement at all stages, including development and management of environmental programs, consulting services, and research and development;

· optimize taxation measures applicable to the farm and forestry sectors;

· support collective marketing mechanisms;

· introduce a transfer savings plan, with the producer receiving the government’s contribution to the plan only if an eligible transfer of the farm business is made;

· permit the transfer of farm property on a tax-free basis, with property in inventory also eligible for the proposed tax-free transfer rule;

· allow forest operators to deduct, in computing their income, all forest development incurred in a year in accordance with a qualified forestry development plan;

· permit income averaging in respect of the sale of wood produced by irregular cutting;

· set the capital cost allowance rate for on-farm investments made for environmental protection purposes at 40%;

· establish an incentive, similar to the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit, for agricultural research and development;

· give gas tax rebates for fuel used in farm and forestry operations;

· vigorously defend provincial forest management plans before international bodies; and

· support the enhancement of forests.

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Vandezande, Gerald requests that the federal government:

· in considering tax reforms, ensure that the resulting tax system is characterized by social-economic equity and actual tax fairness, with taxes based on inclusive public justice for all without discrimination.

The White Rock & South Surrey Chamber of Commerce requests that the federal government:

· increase the threshold to register for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for small businesses to $50,000;

· increase the threshold at which the top marginal personal tax rate applies to $150,000 in 2008, and to $200,000 as fiscal conditions permit;

· for 2008, adjust the GST New Housing Rebate thresholds from $350,000 to $475,000 and from $450,000 to $610,000, with an automatic yearly adjustment reflecting changes in Statistics Canada’s New House Price Index;

· adjust any capital cost allowance rates that are not aligned with the true economic life of the relevant asset;

· apply a transit tax credit to vanpools that is consistent with the tax credit for holders of public transit passes;

· for capital cost allowance purposes, raise the threshold level for luxury cars to $45,000;

· increase the threshold level for the GST input tax credit for automobiles to $45,000;

· ensure that the tax system stimulates work effort, savings, investment, risk-taking and entrepreneurship; and

· ensure that the tax base is as broad as possible, with tax rates that are as low as possible.

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