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A
Year of Change... For the Better
Innisfil Enterprise
December 26, 2006
By Peter Van Loan, MP, York-Simcoe
This time last year, I was walking the
snow-covered streets of York-Simcoe
campaigning for re-election.
On January 23, I was returned with a
majority of almost 10,000 votes - an
expression of confidence for which I was
grateful. Canadians also voted for a
new government in Ottawa - and I looked
forward to experiencing life on the
government benches for the first time.
Prime Minister Harper asked me to serve as
Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs
- a serious assignment which I enjoyed
greatly. The travel was interesting,
ranging from Peru to Portugal, as was
shepherding the new NORAD Treaty through
Parliament. But my greatest interest
was advancing Canada's support for democracy
promotion through a major study at the
Foreign Affairs Committee.
In June, I was delighted when a longtime
project to protect Lake Simcoe's
Environment, on which I had been working,
came to fruition. Our Government
passed a law to prevent ballast water
discharge that could introduce invasive
species threatening the ecosystems of the
Great Lakes Basin including Lake Simcoe.
It was an issue I had pursued in Opposition
with a Private Member's Bill that never made
it through the process. We got it done
quickly once we were in power - an
accomplishment in which I took great
satisfaction.
A major setback for me came August 22, when
I fell a short distance off a ladder while
painting windows at my home. The
severed Achilles tendon required surgery,
three months in cast + crutches, and even
now the extent of recovery remains in doubt.
Being immobilized took quite a toll on me,
and gave me an appreciation of the
challenges the disabled overcome.
Late in the fall, a surprise turn of events
took place. Just as I was beginning to
walk without cast or crutches, and I felt a
new sense of energy and determination to get
things done, a colleague resigned from
Cabinet. I was asked to step into the
longest title in Cabinet - President of the
Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister
of Intergovernmental Affairs, and Minister
for Sport.
Being in Cabinet just a few weeks has
already given me a great opportunity to help
shape policy and the positive change I
believe you want to see. I look
forward to doing more in the time ahead.
Overall, our new Government has successfully
taken action and delivered results on the
commitments we made:
- cutting the GST to 6%;
- delivering the $100 monthly child benefit;
- getting tough on crime;
- cleaning up Ottawa with the Federal
Accountability Act;
- introducing the Children's Fitness Tax
Credit;
- doubling the Amount of pension income that
is tax free (and later allowing pension
income splitting).
We are getting things done - for families
and taxpayers.
We are building a stronger Canada - a
prosperous, secure and clean Canada that is
united at home and respected abroad.
It is a country where what you've done and
where you're going matters more than where
you're from or who you know.
We have been working to help hard-working,
law-abiding, tax-paying Canadians to build a
brighter future for themselves and their
families.
We have been delivering change for the
better.
It's been quite a year ... And I'm looking
forward to an even better year in 2007!
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