Economic Action Plan 2015: A balanced-budget, low-tax plan for jobs, growth and long-term prosperity

REGINA, May 20, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development, today delivered a keynote speech at the Regina and District Chamber of Commerce. Minister Poilievre highlighted that through Economic Action Plan 2015, the Government is helping create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity by focusing on "three Ts"—tax cuts, training and trade.

Minister Poilievre also took the opportunity to outline specific new measures in Economic Action Plan 2015 for Employment and Social Development Canada, including:

• supporting hard-working families through the new Family Tax Cuts and Benefits Plan, which includes the Family Tax Cut and enhancements to the Universal Child Care Benefit, the Child Care Expenses Deduction and the Children's Fitness Tax Credit;
• reaffirming the Government's commitment to reduce Employment Insurance premiums, to extend Employment Insurance compassionate care benefits from six weeks to six months and to extend the current Employment Insurance Working While on Claim pilot project to August 2016;
• making post-secondary education more accessible to all Canadians and expanding eligibility for Canada Student Grants for students from low- and middle-income families enrolled in short-duration educational programs;
• making permanent the Foreign Credential Recognition Loans pilot project to support internationally trained workers in their pursuit of foreign credential recognition; and
• promoting the adoption of the Blue Seal Certification program across Canada to encourage journeypersons in skilled trades to improve their business skills after they have achieved their journeyperson status.

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"We are pleased to announce that we have balanced the federal budget, and now we want to help businesses and families balance their budgets as well. Our Government will continue to do so by keeping taxes low, investing in job training and helping Canadian families prosper."
– The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of Employment and Social Development

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Canada's Economic Action Plan

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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

Aaron Bell, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Employment and Social Development, 819-994-2482, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]