Dear Constituents,

Since my last report, much has transpired and I wanted to update you on some issues. First of all, I should mention that I am pictured on the cover of this Householder with Professor Tim Bryant of Queen’s University who showed me the “Niagara Foot”. The story on this innovative device is on the inside.

The 2005 Budget was tabled and I have prepared a summary of the key provisions and how you can get more information. As well, the government has announced its Kyoto plan to address climate change. This is a very important strategy which will affect not only the economic well-being of Canada but also the health and well-being of all Canadians.

Also included in this report is a Mississauga success story and a couple of other features which I hope you find of interest.

My Bill on health warning labels on the containers of alcoholic beverages is intended to caution expectant mothers and others of the risks associated with alcohol consumption. The Bill passed at Second Reading by a vote of 225 to 27 and I am very encouraged by the progress made to date. Maternal consumption of alcohol is the leading known cause of birth defects in Canada. As such, Health Canada advises that, if pregnancy is possible, women should abstain from alcohol consumption to eliminate the risk.

Thank you for all your constructive input on issues of importance to you. Every communication is important and I have worked very hard to ensure that your needs are addressed on a timely basis. As always, it has been challenging but very gratifying work.

Sincerely,

Paul Szabo

The global landmine crisis is one of the most pervasive problems facing the world today. It is estimated that there are between 45 and 50 million landmines in the ground in at least 70 countries. Landmines reportedly maim or kill 10,000 civilians every year. Those victims that survive endure a lifetime of physical, psychological, and economic hardship.

Canada has taken a lead role in stopping the production of landmines and March 1, 1999 marked the coming into force of the Ottawa Convention. A total of 137 countries have either signed or acceded to the Convention, and 92 had ratified it. Through the Canadian Landmine Foundation and through other assistance, Canada continues to play a significant role in clearing landmines and helping victims.

Life for many landmine survivors may have just gotten better, thanks to the Niagara Foot. The prosthetic foot is a low-cost, high-performance energy-return foot which decreases the muscular effort required for walking and is extremely durable. The Niagara Foot was developed as part of the landmine victims relief program of The Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technology (CCMAT) by Niagara Prosthetics & Orthotics Corporation, Saint Catharines, Ontario, and Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, with the collaboration of Dupont Engineering Polymers, Wilmington, Delaware, and Recto Molded Products, Cincinnati, Ohio. The injection-molded Niagara Foot uses Dupont Delrin, a special polyacetyl plastic that is unique in its combination of elasticity and toughness.

I have been involved in promoting Canada’s efforts for some time and last March, I had the opportunity to visit the Niagara Foot research facilities at Queen’s University. Professor Tim Bryant explained to me how this foot was designed to react much like a real foot so that it would not cause other physical problems. It is not only much lower in cost but also much longer lasting than other types of artificial limbs. You can learn more about this significant Canadian innovation by visiting www.niagarafoot.com.

On February 23, 2005, Ralph Goodale, Minister of Finance delivered his annual Budget to report on our past financial performance, our plans and commitments for the coming year and the financial outlook over the next few years.

Sound Financial Management
The Government is committed to sound financial management, including delivering balanced budgets or better through prudent budget planning, reducing the burden of the federal debt and improving expenditure efficiency and oversight.

Budget 2005 projects balanced budgets or better for the year ended March 31, 2005 and for each of the next five years. This year will mark the seventh consecutive balanced budget achieved by the Government of Canada, the first time this has happened since Confederation.

Securing Canada’s Social Foundations
The Government set out a 10-Year plan to strengthen Health Care to improve access and reduce waiting times. This plan has also been committed to by the Provinces and Territories who will receive $41.3 billion more over the next 10 years.

A new framework has also been established for Equalization which will provide $33.4 billion more over 10 years. This will help to ensure that all Provinces and Territories will be able to meet the health care and social program needs of all Canadians regardless of where they live.

Budget 2005 also provides $805 million over 5 years to deliver on our commitment to invest in health care indirect federal support in the following areas:

• Health human resources;
• Healthy living and chronic disease prevention;
• Pandemic influenza preparedness;
• Drug safety; and
• Environmental health.

Tax Changes to Improve Fairness and Support
Budget 2005 improves the fairness of the tax system by:

• The amount that all Canadians may earn without paying any taxes increases to $10,000. This removes 860,000 Canadians from the tax rolls including 240,000 seniors;
• Acting on the tax measure recommendations for persons with disabilities;
• RRSP annual contribution limits have increased to $22,000;
• The corporate surtax has been eliminated and the tax rate reduced to 19% to maintain our tax advantage over the US;
• Eliminating the 30% foreign property limit on pension investments;
• Increasing deposit insurance coverage to $100,000;
• Doubling to $10,000, the maximum amount of medical and disability related expenses that caregivers can claim on behalf of their dependents; and
• Introducing a tax credit to recognize adoption expenses up to a maximum of $10,000.

These improvements build on the over $100 billion of tax cuts delivered over the past 5 years.

Improving Support for Seniors
To address the evolving needs of seniors:

• Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits for low-income seniors are being increased by $2.7 billion over 5 years. Monthly benefits will increase by $36 for single seniors and $58 for couples.
• The New Horizons program was established to promote voluntary sector activities by and in support of seniors. Annual funding for this program has been increased to $25 Million.
  Investing in People
  Budget 2005 invests in people by making strategic investments to build a highly skilled and adaptable workforce as follows:
• $5 Billion over 5 years to start building a framework for an Early Learning and Child Care initiative in collaboration with the Provinces and Territories.
• An additional $120 million over 5 years to improve special education programs for First Nations children living on reserves;
• $398 million over 5 years to enhance settlement and integration programs and improve client services for newcomers to Canada;
• $125 million over 3 years for the next steps of the Workplace Skills Strategy; and
• $30 million over 3 years to the National Literacy Secretariat.

Investing in Innovation and Technologies
Budget 2005 makes major strategic investments in building a world-class research environment in Canada such as:

• $375 million over 5 years for the three federal research granting councils;
• $165 million to Genome Canada for genomics research;
• $126 million over 5 years for physics research at UBC’s TRIUMF science facility; and
• $75 million over 5 years for research at hospitals and universities.

Sustainable Environment and Communities
Budget 2005 makes major investments to preserve our natural environment and to address climate change. These total over $10 billion over 5 years and include:

• $1 billion for an innovative Clean Air Fund;
• $225 million to expand the EnerGuide for Houses Retrofit Incentive Program;
• $200 million for the Sustainable Energy Science and Technology Strategy;
• $920 million over 15 years to stimulate the use of Wind Power to generate electricity;
• $866 million over 15 years to develop renewable energy forms such as small hydro, biomass and landfill gas;
• $295 million in tax incentives to develop renewable energy generation and green technology;
• $300 million to enrich Green Municipal Funds for municipal projects including cleanup of brownfields;
• $40 million to improve the Great Lakes ecosystem;
• $90 million to support scientific assessment and research;
• $209 million for maintenance of National Parks; and
• $5 billion worth of gas tax revenue over 5 years to support environmentally sustainable infrastructure projects such as public transit, water and wastewater treatment, community energy systems and the handling of solid waste.

Foreign Policy, Defence and Security
To promote international security, Budget 2005 includes:

• $3.4 billion over 5 years for international assistance including $500 million to fund global peace and security initiatives;
• $100 million for strengthening our diplomatic missions abroad;
• Over $12 billion in new money for defence over 5 years which is the largest increase in the last 20 years. This delivers on our commitment to expand the Canadian Forces by 5,000 troops and 3,000 reserves.

Since eliminating the deficit in 1997, Canada has taken a balanced approach to reducing debt, reducing taxes and investing in social and economic priorities. Among the top 7 industrialized countries, we have the best job creation record, the fastest growing living standards and the lowest debt to GDP ratio. In short, Canada is in very sound financial condition.

For more details see www.fin.gc.ca or contact my office.

Project Green is our plan for honouring our Kyoto commitment. It is a set of policies and programs aimed at supporting a sustainable environment and a more competitive economy. Along with climate change, it will address a range of environmental issues, including biodiversity, water, contaminated sites and clean air.

Our planet's temperature is rising and this is cause for deep concern. Over 2000 leading scientists contributed to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Their prediction: by 2100, Earth's average temperature will climb between 1.5 and 6 degrees Celsius, rising twice as fast in the Arctic. At first glance, this seems like a small increase, but it has immense consequences. Altering climate patterns will cause more frequent and severe extreme weather events, imperiling the northern Aboriginal way of life and threatening the health and safety of Canadians and people around the globe. Such incidents can also inflict huge economic costs, especially to sectors dependent on a stable natural environment like farming, fishing and forestry. Recent events including the Prairie drought, BC's forest fires, Hurricane Juan and the 1998 ice storm have shown Canadians firsthand the crippling effects of extreme weather.

The Panel of scientists also concluded: "most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities" - in particular burning fossil fuels. This releases greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and vapour) along with smog-causing pollutants into the global atmosphere at a rate faster than the Earth can absorb.

While Canada is already seeing some of the impacts of climate change on its own territory, this is a global problem, and it requires global action. That is why Canada is a strong supporter of the Kyoto Protocol, which Canada and 140 other countries have ratified in order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Canada's commitment: to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 6 percent below 1990 levels.
Climate change poses a challenge for Canada and the world, but Canadians are rising to that challenge. All of us — industry, governments, communities and individuals — must do our fair share.

With this challenge comes the opportunity to enhance our health through cleaner air and to strengthen our competitiveness by transforming our economy to make it more efficient and more sustainable. Doing so means drawing on the ingenuity and innovation of Canadians.

Moving Forward on Climate Change: A Plan for Honouring our Kyoto Commitment is the Government of Canada's comprehensive plan to enable us to fight climate change. It provides the tools and incentives to secure a healthy environment and a strong, growing economy — at the same time.

This Plan makes sense for Canadians. It builds on positive first steps resulting from previous efforts in Action Plan 2000, and the 2002 Climate Change Plan for Canada. The Government launched initiatives like the One-Tonne Challenge and EnerGuide retrofit programs to encourage energy efficiency actions by Canadian homeowners and commercial building operators to reduce energy consumption. Canada has also made major investments supporting Canadian innovation in cleaner fossil fuels, ethanol and hydrogen fuel cells.

The 2002 Climate Change Plan for Canada stated that our approach would evolve over time, as we learn from our efforts, realize new possibilities and develop and put into use new technologies. Now we are building on Canada's first steps with a new and significantly different approach - one linking economic prosperity with environmental progress.

Budget 2005 laid a solid foundation for the new approach, introducing new market mechanisms, tax measures and incentives for private sector innovation and consumer action. Upon this foundation, Moving Forward on Climate Change will:

• promote investments in science and technology so Canada can become a "first mover" in developing and using renewable energy and other green technologies;
• safeguarding Canadians' health and quality of life through cleaner air and greener communities;
• build lasting partnerships with provinces, territories and municipalities;
• collaborate with industry and set effective, fair reduction targets; and
• ensure continuous improvement and value for money by reviewing programs annually, verifying our investments' results and shifting existing funds to strengthen what works.

The new Climate Fund rewards creativity and innovation by funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas and smog-causing emissions. It will purchase the value of large scale emission reductions from businesses, governments, organizations and citizens - examples include farmers who adopt low-till practices and property developers who include renewable energy elements in building new sub-divisions.

The Fund also benefits Canada by supporting projects internationally. It will help showcase Canadian green technology at work around the world, and support our international development assistance objectives. Emissions know no borders whether they be greenhouse gases, smog-causing pollutants or hazardous substances like mercury. Exporting our green technologies and supporting efforts to reduce emissions in other countries will benefit Canada's economy, the global environment and the health of Canadians and people around the world.

In addition, tax and production incentives worth over $2 billion are directed to increasing Canadian development and use of renewable power technologies over the next 15 years, including wind, solar, hydrogen and ethanol.

Industry is the main source of both Canada's competitiveness and its emissions. This Plan is a balanced approach with fair reduction targets to ensure a cleaner environment and economic growth.
Large industrial emitters - The almost 700 companies that produce about half of Canada's emissions - including companies in the oil and gas, mining and manufacturing and thermal electricity sectors - will have challenging emissions reduction targets. They will also have the flexibility to meet their targets in a number of ways, including:

• making energy efficiency upgrades to their operations and technologies;
• investing in projects that reduce emissions in Canada and in developing countries and other emerging markets in order to showcase Canadian technology or strengthen Canada's trade or development ties;
• participating in an emissions trading market that allows companies to buy credits from large industrial emitters who have exceeded their set targets;
• contributing to the new Greenhouse Gas Technology Investment Fund that will develop and commercialize Canadian technologies to enable substantial emission reductions over the long term.

The Automotive industry - Automakers have signed an agreement with the Government of Canada to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles sold in Canada, by introducing new technologies that make the vehicles produced more environmentally friendly and safer. Examples include:

• fuel saving technologies;
• advanced diesel technology; and
• hybrid powertrains and cylinder deactivation technology.

Our response to climate change will significantly influence Canada's long-term competitiveness, Canadians' health and safety and that of generations to come. Meeting the challenge provides opportunities to promote Canada's environmental know-how and technology, by making our industrial sectors more competitive and clean, and making our society more energy and resource efficient. Our success will result in cleaner air, greener communities, healthier Canadians and a more competitive Canada.

For information - www.climatechange.gc.ca or contact my office

The Government of Canada recognizes small and medium sized enterprises as cornerstones to strengthening the Canadian economy, benefiting all Canadians through the development of innovative technologies that will improve our standard of living and create jobs.

A Mississauga firm, PANiT Measuring Company had received support and guidance from the National Research Council of Canada and they went on to develop a unique patent pending measuring system that turned out to be just what the industry had been looking for.

The firm’s successful technology, MeasuringBoard, is an integration of a laser-measuring device and proprietary software, combined with customized computer-aided design technology and a hand held computer. It provides real-time digital drawings of commercial or residential buildings complete with area calculations.

On March 3, 2005, I was pleased to welcome Industry Minister, John Emerson, to Port Credit where he announced that PLANiT had been recognized by the National Research Council as a Canadian Innovation Leader and a role model for technology-based innovation.

The Minister commended PLANiT Measuring for their ingenuity and inventiveness which is bringing about the commercialization of new products in the marketplace.

This is a great example of how collaboration between the government and industry can foster economic development. Congratulations to PLANiT Measuring, Mike Laurie, its President, and his entire team. Well done!

Every Wednesday morning at 7:30am, when Parliament is in session, a number of MPs from all parties get together for a Prayer Breakfast. It is one hour of sanctuary when members can leave the politics outside the door and share some time in prayer and fellowship. We usually start by singing a hymn and one member is designated to share an appropriate story or experience which stimulates discussion about the lesson or message. For me, it is the most important hour of the week. It really gives me a boost to deal with the pressures and challenges which face us all on a daily basis.

Recently, one of my colleagues presented us with a lesson which really resonated with us all. Let me share it with you.

“I’ll be happy when …we convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren’t old enough and we’ll be content when they are. After that, we’re frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, when we are able to go on a nice vacation or when we retire. The truth is there’s no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges.

It’s best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment that you have and treasure it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with … and remember that time waits for no one.

Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So work like you don’t need money, love like you’ve never been hurt and dance like no one is watching. And if you want to brighten someone’s day, pass this on to someone special.”

Visit us on the Internet: www.paulszabo.com

Mississauga Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled during office hours or other arrangements can be made by calling the office.

Constituents may write to any Member of Parliament or Cabinet Minister postage free. Simply address your envelope to the particular Member, c/o House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6. Your views and suggestions are important.