Monday, July 9:
- Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced that a record 500,000+ visitor visas to Canada have been issued since the start of 2012. The ministry expects to have granted over one million visitor visas by the end of the year.
- National Revenue Minister Gail Shea met with members of the local business community in Fort McMurray, Alta. to highlight recent Canada Revenue Agency initiatives designed to reduce the burden on small businesses, including extension of the hiring credit for small business in the 2012 federal budget, and the new My Business Account enquiries service.
Tuesday, July 10:
- Health Canada, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, announced that it would carry out a research study of the health effects of wind turbines and wind power developments on people living near them.
- The Canada Border Services Agency announced that effective June 30, the CBSA lifted the three-year residency requirement for Canadian and United States citizens to apply to the NEXUS program.
Wednesday, July 11:
- Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose announced that Public Works and Government Services Canada is extending the list of offences that make companies and individuals ineligible to bid on contracts to include: money laundering; participation in activities of criminal organizations; income and excise tax evasion; bribing a foreign public official and drug trafficking.
- Jacques Gourde, MP for Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, announced federal funding for Notre-Dame-du-Nord firm Temisko (1983) Inc. to improve its productivity. The $1,177,459 repayable contribution comes through Canada Economic Development’s Business and Regional Growth program. Temisko specializes in the design and manufacture of customized semi-trailers.
- Statistics Canada released May 2012 figures for Canadian international merchandise trade. Canada's merchandise imports increased 0.4 per cent while exports remained relatively unchanged in May, resulting in a trade deficit increase from $623 million in April to $793 million in May.
Thursday, July 12:
- Treasury Board President Tony Clement addressed members of Winnipeg’s business and tech community, calling on them to take advantage of the government’s open data initiative, and the large amounts of information the government has released through its open data portal.
- Jacques Gourde, MP for Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière announced federal funding to help L. Jeanson Cie (2001) Ltd of Amos, Quebec improve its productivity. The $122,004 repayable contribution comes courtesy of Canada Economic Development’s Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec’s Forest Economies. L. Jeanson Cie specializes in the manufacture of roof trusses, prefabricated walls, floor joists and beams, as well as in kitchen and bathroom cabinets and counters.
- Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, MP for Delta–Richmond East, announced a contract of $565,000 to MDA Systems Ltd. for its Automated Motion Imagery Exploitation, a software tool that generates geo-registered products for surveillance and reconnaissance from airborne video. The contract was awarded through the Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program.
- Labour Minister Lisa Raitt addressed participants of a roundtable discussion at the 2012 International Forum of Labour Agencies in Montreal.
- Statistics Canada released first-quarter 2012 results for the commercial rents services price index, showing an increase of 0.4 per cent for the quarter, after a 0.6 per cent increase in the fourth quarter of 2011. The Index rose 1.8 per cent from the previous year.
- Statistics Canada also released May 2012 results for the new housing price index, edging up 0.3 per cent, after a 0.2 per cent increase in April.
Friday, July 13:
- Transport Minister Denis Lebel met with local stakeholders and politicians in Toronto as part of cross-country discussions on a new long-term infrastructure plan for Canada.
- National Revenue Minister Gail Shea met with members of the local business community in Okotoks, Alta. to highlight recent Canada Revenue Agency initiatives designed to reduce the burden on small businesses, including extension of the hiring credit for small business in the 2012 federal budget, and the new My Business Account enquiries service.
- Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture Pierre Lemieux announced the creation of the Canadian Agri-Traceability Services at the Calgary Stampede, with a investment of $765,000 through the Government's Canadian industry traceability infrastructure program.
- As part of his Southeast Asia tour, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird spoke at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Canada Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The minister announced a $10 million funding commitment dedicated to ASEAN related-projects in the next three years.
- Statistics Canada released the results of the first quarter 2012 quarterly retail commodity survey. Retail sales rose 5.6 per cent from the previous year, with higher sales reported in all major commodity groups. The largest gains were in sales of motor vehicles, parts and services (+11 per cent). Food and beverage sales increased 4.4 per cent. Retail sales of clothing, footwear and accessories grew 9.0 per cent.
Eye on the Hill is prepared by Ottawa-based government relations and communications firm Flagship Solutions.
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