Harper introduces C-43, another omnibus budget bill

[Oscar]

Harper introduces C-43, another omnibus budget bill

[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]

October 25, 2014 - 7:00am

The Harper government has introduced another omnibus budget bill. It brought forward the 458-page C-43 bill on Thursday while the country was still reeling from the shootings the day before in Ottawa. It intends to pass the legislation before the December break.

According to initial news reports, the bill would:

restrict the ability of refugee claimants to access social assistance
reduce Employment Insurance premiums for small business owners
amend the temporary foreign workers program
revise the Investment Canada Act to allow an additional 30 days in the national security review process of proposed foreign investments
revise the Investment Canada Act to allow the government to disclose more information about national security concerns when it rejects a takeover
double the amount claimable under the Children's Fitness Tax Credit and make it refundable next year
establish the Canadian High Arctic research Station
make the Canadian Polar Commission the governing structure for the arctic research station
give a tax break for the breeding of bees and horses
split the role of the Chief Public Health Officer into two positions, one of which would advise the government on public health issues
prohibit cable companies charging for paper bills
give a tax credit for interest paid on a Canada Apprentice Loan
broaden the scope of the national DNA bank to include DNA profiles from missing persons, their relatives and from human remains
expand the size of the Social Security Tribunal
revise the Industrial Design Act and Patent Act
It will take time to properly study the hundreds of pages of the bill, identify areas of concern and provide a clear analysis of its implications. The Council of Canadians has been critical of the Harper government's previous omnibus bills, notably:

The 359-page C-31 omnibus budget bill in March 2014 that:

made changes to rail safety rules
harmonized hazardous goods rules with the United States
gave cabinet a say on regulations regarding fresh fruits and vegetables
identified which public service jobs and services are 'essential' impacting collective bargaining rights
made it more difficult for immigrants coming to Canada to qualify for the Guaranteed Income Supplement provided to low-income seniors
harmonized vehicle safety standards with the United States
changed the Trademarks Act
introduced taxes for hospital parking
required Canadian banks to report the financial holdings of dual Canadian-U.S. citizens
required tolls for the bridge replacing the Champlain Bridge and the Nuns’ Island Bridge over the St. Lawrence River
dissolved the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Board
made changes to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act

The 457-page C-45 omnibus budget bill in October 2012 that:

amended the Canada Shipping Act and the Fisheries Act
changed the definition of an aboriginal fishery
eliminated environmental restrictions for building a bridge across the Detroit River
amended the Indian Act to change voting rules for land designation
amended the Customs Act for the government to collect information on passengers
eliminated the Hazardous Materials Information Review Commission
limited the scope of the Navigable Waters Act, eliminating impediments to pipelines crossing navigable waters
eliminated the Board that set rates for employment insurance premiums
set time limits on worker complaints under the Canada Labour Code

The 421-page C-38 omnibus budget bill in March 2012 that:

empowered the federal cabinet to approve pipelines and other major energy projects regardless of regulatory board recommendations
blocked participation of those 'not directly affected by the project' in environmental hearings
allowed the National Energy Board to permit activities that kill or harm endangered species
gutted the Fisheries Act
scrapped the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act
changed Employment Insurance benefits
cracked down on charities engaging in political activity
axed the federal spy watchdog
changed the eligibility for Old Age Security payments to 67 from 65

Many of the provisions of these previous bills - significantly the gutting of the Navigable Waters Act and the Fisheries Act and the blocking of those deemed 'not directly affected' from environmental hearings - have changed the political landscape and served to reduce democratic participation in this country and should give us cause for concern for the implications of C-43.

News reports on C-43:

Conservative government pushes ahead with massive omnibus budget bill
[ http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014 ... _bill.html ]

Federal omnibus bill restricts refugee access to social assistance
[ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... e21305565/ ]

Budget legislation will end fees for paper bills
[ http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Budget+l ... story.html ]

Tory budget bill would merge Canadian Polar Commission, new research station
[ http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/a ... _to_merge/ ]

Budget bill: Government refocuses public health czar's job
[ http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/ ... ealth-czar ]

Parliament introduces Bill C-43: incorporating the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs and the Patent Law Treaty into Canadian law
[ http://www.lexology.com/library/detail. ... 05a134ad86 ]

Ottawa tackles benefit-claims backlog
[ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/pol ... e21304700/ ]

Brent Patterson's blog
[ http://canadians.org/blogs/brent-patterson ]

[Oscar]

With omnibus Bill C-43, Conservative government going after most vulnerable yet again

[ http://canadians.org/media/omnibus-bill ... -yet-again ]

Media Release November 18, 2014

Toronto — After being stopped by the Federal Court from depriving refugee claimants and other non-permanent residents access to health care, [ http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014 ... erage.html ], the Conservative government is going after them once again by limiting their access to health care and social assistance. [ http://canadians.org/blog/cruel-and-unu ... ant-health ]

In their proposed omnibus budget bill, C-43 sections 172 and 173, [ http://canadians.org/blog/harper-introd ... udget-bill ] the Conservatives allow the provinces to deny social assistance to refugee claimants and others who lack permanent residency status. [ http://www.change.org/p/stephen-harper- ... e_petition ]

For that reason, the Council of Canadians has joined over 160 organizations in an open letter to Finance Minister Joe Oliver today to oppose the stripping of refugee and non-permanent residents' rights.

“This move would make life miserable for refugees, vulnerable non-citizens, and those with precarious immigration status,” says Michael Butler, Health Care Campaigner for the Council of Canadians. “The Conservative government is needlessly spiteful to those who are the most marginalized and affected by poverty, those who need assistance the most. We are far from the Canadian principle of universal accessibility to social programs.”

Two months ago, a Conservative private member's bill, C-585, [ http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications ... 12&File=24 ] proposed similar changes, which were rolled into C-43.

The Council of Canadians will join the coalition of organizations who will be delivering the letter to Joe Oliver’s constituency office at 11:00 a.m. with Health for All and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.

For more information on the Council of Canadians' opposition, read our blog:

[ http://www.canadians.org/blog/harpers-c ... e-refugees ]