OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 12/13/12 -- Today, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for York-Simcoe, highlighted the Harper Government's important accomplishments in the House of Commons this fall.

"Our Government remains focused on the issues that matter most to Canadians - creating jobs and securing economic growth," said Minister Van Loan. "Through the passage of the Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, we are implementing important job-creating measures from Economic Action Plan 2012."

The Jobs and Growth Act, 2012 includes the following measures that were included in Economic Action Plan 2012:

--  implementing the job-creating Hiring Credit for Small Business that
    helped over 500,00 small businesses last year; 
--  reforming the pension plans for federal bureaucrats to make them
    financially sustainable for taxpayers; and 
--  improving Registered Disability Pension Plans.

"We have seen the creation of nearly 900,000 net new jobs, a sure sign that - even in the face of global economic uncertainty - our plan is working," continued Minister Van Loan. "Our plan also includes a commitment to free trade and opening new markets for Canadian workers and businesses - this includes passing a bill to implement the Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement."

In addition to passing the Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, the Harper Government passed bills which follow through on campaign commitments made in the last election:

--  C-36, the Protecting Canada's Seniors Act; 
--  C-37, the Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act; and 
--  C-44, the Helping Families in Need Act.

The Harper Government also passed bills focused on strengthening the economy, as well as improving accountability, transparency and the health and safety of Canadians:

--  C-27, the First Nations Financial Transparency Act; 
--  C-28, the Financial Literacy Leader Act; 
--  C-46, the Pension Reform Act; and 
--  S-11, the Safe Food for Canadians Act.

The Government made progress on a number of other bills, including:

--  C-15, the Strengthening Military Justice Act; 
--  C-21, the Political Loans Accountability Act; 
--  C-42, the Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act; 
--  C-43, the Faster Removal of Foreign Criminals Act; 
--  C-47, the Northern Jobs and Growth Act; and 
--  S-7, the Combating Terrorism Act.

"Canadians can continue to count on our Government to remain focused on job creation - including building on the strongest job creation record of the major developed economies," concluded Minister Van Loan.

For more information on the status of the Government's legislative agenda, please consult:

www.HouseLeader.gc.ca