VANCOUVER, BC  – As part of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, is encouraging residents to nominate individuals for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

“This year’s Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is a unique opportunity for all of us to learn more about Her Majesty and to see how much Canada has evolved during her 60 year reign,” said Ms. Young.  “The Medal will honour those Canadians, who, like Her Majesty, have dedicated themselves to service to family, community and country.”

Some 60,000 Diamond Jubilee medals – to match the 60 reign of Her Majesty – will be given to Canadians throughout the year.  This is a legacy activity that honours Her Majesty and recognizes the service of Canadians from all walks of life and backgrounds who have made significant contributions to their communities and helped create the Canada of today.  The achievements of younger Canadians who are actively contributing to our future will also be a focus.

Residents of Vancouver South are encouraged visit www.WaiYoung.ca to submit the nomination of worthy individuals. Nominations will be accepted until July 31, 2012 with medal presentations taking place in the Fall.

“I am looking forward to hearing from residents and learning more about the contributions individuals have made to our community and to Canada,” said Ms. Young.

If you wish to nominate someone for this honour, please visit www.WaiYoung.ca for nomination forms and further information.  Individuals may also contact MP Young’s office to receive these materials in hardcopy.

For more information on the medal please visit: www.diamondjubilee.pch.gc.ca

-30-

For more information:

Office of Wai Young, MP
613-995-7052

The completion of a $6.9 million project to restore VIA Rail’s heritage train station in Vancouver was celebrated today by the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport), Ms. Wai Young, Member of Parliament for South Vancouver and Mr. David Hoff, a member of VIA Rail Canada’s Board of Directors.

“Today we see the positive results of Canada’s Economic Action Plan and other federal investments in the many upgrades made to Vancouver station”, said Minister Fletcher. “Our government continues to support projects like this that create jobs and improve passenger rail service and infrastructure.”

“These improvements will not only benefit the many travellers who use Vancouver Station but bring economic benefits to local and regional businesses and the community,” said Ms. Young.

VIA Rail has completed major renovations to the station, paying strict attention to preserving the heritage features of the building, which was built in 1919. First, the platform canopies and lighting were improved alongside the tracks where the trains arrive and depart, and station columns were repaired. This work was finished in 2010. Then a full restoration of the Vancouver Station building was undertaken. From top to bottom, the exterior masonry of the building was repointed and cleaned, the roof rebuilt, the exterior windows and doors restored or replaced and the iconic “Pacific Central” sign on the roof stabilized as well as security improvements made. This second phase was recently completed.

“We continue to transform passenger rail in Canada with new stations, tracks, trains and technology,” said David Hoff of VIA Rail. “We remain focused on what counts: responding to markets and the needs of our customers in the most efficient way possible.”

Funding for the upgrades to Pacific Central Station includes $2.3 million from the stimulus phase of the Economic Action Plan as part of a total investment of $923 million by the Government of Canada to VIA Rail to improve passenger rail services. It is among many other projects across the country to upgrade facilities, stations, equipment and infrastructure for the benefit of passengers. This includes improvements being made to the locomotives and passenger cars used on VIA’s western transcontinental service, which makes an important contribution to VIA’s success and Canada’s tourism industry.

-30-

For further information:

Brayden Akers, Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State (Transport)
613 991-0700
Brayden.Akers@tc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Transport Canada – Ottawa
613 993-0055

Malcolm Andrews
VIA Rail Canada
514 871-6604
Malcolm_Andrews@viarail.ca

In celebration of Vaisakhi, Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, issued the following greeting:

“Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!

“I would like to extend my warmest wishes on the occasion of Vaisakhi, which marks the beginning of the solar New Year and celebrates the harvest as well as the birth of Khalsa.

“Vaisakhi is an opportunity to gather with family and friends, and a time of joyful and colourful festivities. Every year, in the heart of Vancouver South, one of the most dynamic festivals in our city, the Vaisakhi Parade, takes place – a true testament to our community and country’s multicultural heritage.

“It is also an opportunity to reflect on the tremendous contributions South Asians have made to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of Canada. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to wish the Sikh and South Asian community a very healthy, happy, and enjoyable holiday.”

-30-

On the occasion of the 95th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in France, Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, offered the following statement:

“Ninety-five years ago today on Easter Monday, one hundred thousand Canadian soldiers pushed on to Vimy, where they faced terrible conditions and tremendous strife in defending their country’s cause. Four days later, Canadian forces broke through the enemy’s ranks – a stunning victory that forged a strong, new sense of Canadian identity and pride.”

“Brigadier General Alexander Ross aptly remarked that it was “Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific on parade” and he felt as if he was witnessing “the birth of a nation.”

“Indeed, Vimy Ridge was the first time Canadian forces fought together as a cohesive, united entity. Today, as Canadians, we are united in our remembrance of their sacrifice, and united in our pride as Canadians, forged from the courage of those who fought valiantly ninety-five years ago.

“Near Vimy lies a memorial that commemorates the thousands of Canadians who lost their lives and were injured. This memorial is a testament to their spirit of perseverance, tenacity, and sacrifice – Canadian values that live on today.

“On behalf of the people of Vancouver South, I honour the courage of these brave Canadian men who fought at Vimy Ridge. May this truly Canadian legacy carry on through the generations.”

-30-

On the occasion of Passover, Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South delivered the following greeting:

“Passover, or Pesach, is an occasion for the Jewish community in Canada to honour the Exodus of the Children of Israel from a time of deep oppression into great freedom and hope.

“For centuries, the Jewish people have used this as a reminder of the power of faith and perseverance through the darkest of times – a message of triumph and hope that inspires many Canadians.

“Vancouver has a vibrant Jewish community and I am proud to call many friends. On behalf of my family, I wish you and yours a wonderful and truly blessed Passover. Chag Sameach!”

-30-

On the occasion of Easter Weekend, Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South offered the following message:

“This Easter Weekend is an occasion for Christians in Canada and around the world to gather and honour their belief in the death and ultimate resurrection of Jesus Christ – the triumph of loving sacrifice over evil.

“Easter is a time of joy for many Canadians, and just as it is a holiday celebrated during the buds of Spring, Easter is a season of renewal, hope, and peace. It is also a time for Christians to reflect on the spirit of compassion, justice, and grace of their Saviour.

“On behalf of my family to yours, I wish Canadians a blessed weekend and a very happy Easter.”

-30-

Canada has an international reputation for having the most generous immigration system in the world. We welcome 1 in 10 of the world’s resettled refugees, and the number is increasing as our government is welcoming an additional 2,500, or 20%, of the number of resettled refugees to Canada.

Canadians are rightfully proud of our tradition as a compassionate nation. It is a responsibility we take very seriously. Throughout this country I have met and worked with many Canadians. We are a generous people and a generous nation. However, for too many years we have had to tolerate those who find loopholes or who are deliberately abusing our generosity and taking unfair advantage of our country.

That is why Canadians have become concerned with the growing number of bogus claims and queue jumpers. These bogus claimants bog down the system and, as a result, genuine claimants who are in need of Canada’s protection are left far behind and must endure long wait lists.

Fortunately, our Conservative government is taking action to crack down on this abuse and to strengthen the integrity and credibility of our immigration system. Bill C-31 will ensure that those who are in need of Canada’s protection will receive it more quickly, while those who are abusing our system will be removed from Canada sooner.

Today I am going to focus my remarks on the provisions in this legislation that deal specifically with human smuggling. Canada is working hard both at home and abroad to deter and prevent human smuggling.

Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the Prime Minister appointed a special adviser on human smuggling and illegal migration to work with governments in source and transit countries as well as with international partners to promote co-operation to combat human smuggling. Canada has also worked hard to partner with local authorities in transit countries to combat human smuggling operations.

While these efforts abroad are important, despite our best efforts, human smuggling operations have continued to target Canada’s generous immigration system. Canada must therefore send a clear and categorical message to those who plan to take advantage of us that human smuggling is a deplorable crime and will not be tolerated in Canada. Our Conservative government has been absolutely clear that any attempts to abuse Canada’s generosity for financial gain will not be tolerated.

Bill C-31 sends the message that our doors are open to those who play by the rules, including all legitimate refugees, but we will crack down on those who endanger human lives and threaten the integrity of our borders.

Canadians gave our government a strong mandate to prevent the abuse of our generous immigration system. With Bill C-31, we are acting on that mandate.

Canada is a compassionate nation of immigrants with a proud history and tradition of welcoming refugees. At the same time, every sovereign country has a responsibility to protect its citizens and its borders.

With Bill C-31 our government is cracking down on human smugglers with a number of new measures. For example, Bill C-31 will make it easier to prosecute human smugglers and will introduce mandatory minimum sentences for convicted human smugglers. The bill will also target those ship owners and operators who will be liable for the use of their ships in human smuggling.

Experience has shown that cracking down on human smugglers alone is not an effective solution. Action must be taken to address the countless individuals who choose to be smuggled and who choose to pay organized crime large sums of money, sometimes up to $50,000 per person.

It falls on our government to protect Canadians. This is why Bill C-31 includes the mandatory detention of those who arrive as part of a human smuggling operation. Let us be clear that when they arrive we do not know who they are or what their purposes are. It takes some time to determine this.

That said, it is important to note that Bill C-31 includes one very important change from previous Bill C-4. The current legislation includes an exemption from automatic detention for minors under the age of 16. In addition, adults, people who are 16 years and older, will be released from detention as soon as they receive a positive opinion on their refugee claim from the independent Immigration and Refugee Board. Most bona fide claimants will get protected status and will be released from detention within a matter of months.

As previously stated, this provision is necessary as it protects Canadians. It would be irresponsible to release those involved in a criminal human smuggling operation before their identity or their purpose is established and officials have had time to determine whether or not they pose a risk to the safety and security of Canadians.

Only those asylum claimants whose identities cannot be established, who are a security risk to Canada or who are suspected architects of criminal activity can be held longer under the bill, and for good reason.

I am disappointed that the opposition NDP and Liberals believe that those who arrive on our shores should be released onto our streets and into our communities before we know who these people are and what their purposes are for being here, if they are criminals or terrorists, and whether or not they pose a threat. This is simply irresponsible.

It is also important to note that most other western democratic countries have had these detention provisions for some time and have had even more harsher detention provisions than what is before us today. In fact, other countries detain all asylum claimants. Compared to most other western democratic countries, Canada’s detention provisions will continue to be used sparingly.

Bill C-31 will also prevent illegal migrants who are part of a smuggling operation from obtaining permanent resident status or bringing their family members to Canada for a period of five years. This legislation will ensure that taxpayer-funded medical benefits received by illegal migrants are not more generous than those received by the average Canadian. These measures are fair, necessary and will protect Canadians.

It is unfortunate that the NDP and the Liberals oppose our government’s efforts to crack down on this despicable crime.

Benjamin Perrin, a law professor at the University of British Columbia, had this to say about them:

Maritime migrant smuggling is the deadliest form of illegal international travel and its illicit proceeds fuel criminality. Canada is an attractive destination for migrant smugglers and these new measures send a strong message that our country is no longer open for business to these criminals.

Genuine refugees are better served through the use of safe, legal channels such as group processing of refugees through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in programs that Canada has participated in with success.

Michael Deakin-Macey, the past president of the board of directors of the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society, has also praised the human smuggling measures included in Bill C-31. He said:

Canada is a generous country, with an immigration system that treats both immigrants and refugees very well, however, there are those who are not willing to wait their turn in line and criminals who would profit from this. Instead, they want to jump the immigration queue and make their way to Canada through any means available to them, often bypassing several hospitable countries and travelling halfway around the world to land on our shores.

We are pleased that the Government has sent a clear message that it will not be tolerated, and we welcome the introduction of legislation preventing human smugglers from in effect creating an unfair two-tier immigration system, one for the impatient rich and the other for the honest applicant.

Bill C-31, protecting Canada’s immigration system act, would halt an illegal, second tier immigration system and make our immigration system faster and fairer. It would stop human smugglers, foreign criminals and bogus refugee claimants from abusing our generous immigration system and receiving lucrative taxpayer funded health and social benefits.

Bill C-31 would strengthen the integrity of Canada’s immigration system and protect our country, our citizens and our communities. This is an important bill and a desirable goal that all members of the House should support.

OTTAWA, ON – Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, welcomed Economic Action Plan 2012’s focus on creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. Keeping taxes low and returning Canada to balanced budgets is good news for British Columbia.

“In Economic Action Plan 2012, our Conservative government is squarely focused on what matters to Canadians – jobs and economic growth,” said MP Wai Young. “While Canada has created over 610,000 net new jobs since July 2009, the global economy remains fragile and too many Canadians are still looking for work. That’s why we’re moving forward with a positive plan to bolster the long-term economic growth of British Columbia and all of Canada.”

Economic Action Plan 2012 takes significant steps to:

• Encourage entrepreneurship, innovation, and world-class research with over $1.1 billion in significant investments for research and development, $500 million for venture capital, support for increased public and private research collaboration, and much more.

• Improve conditions for business investments with responsible resource development streamlined for ‘one project, one review’; expanding trade to open new markets; keeping taxes low, and more.

• Invest in training, infrastructure and opportunity for Canadians by extending the Hiring Credit for Small Business; investing in programs to help youth, Canadians with disabilities, aboriginals, and workers over 50 get into the workforce; reforming the EI system to better promote job creation and remove disincentives to work; investing millions in renewing local community infrastructure; and more.

• Help families and communities by increasing food safety monitoring; better protecting species at risk; assisting victims of crime; improving water quality for First Nations communities; helping Canadians with disabilities save for their future; and more.

• Ensure vital social programs and services will be there for Canadians in the next generation by making gradual, responsible adjustments to Old Age Security; bringing public sector pension plans more in line with those of Canadians working in the private sector; closing tax loopholes; and more.

Economic Action Plan 2012 also demonstrates the Conservative government’s strong support for British Columbia through record federal transfer support for hospitals, schools, and other critical services. Totaling over $5.6 billion in 2012-13, the transfer support represents an increase of over $1 billion (or 23%) from the former Liberal government.

“While the Liberals gutted transfers for health care and education when in power, our Conservative government is protecting and growing them to help support the services that British Columbian families need,” noted MP Wai Young.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2012 includes various other important measures keeping us on track to balance the budget by 2015. For more information please see the details in full at www.fin.gc.ca.

- 30 -

Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South today announced federal funding of over $238,000 to Small Business BC for their TradeStart Program. TradeStart will increase trade among B.C.’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing them with the tools necessary to access new export markets.

The funding, provided by Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), will help support an enhanced trade readiness service that will increase the number of export-ready small and medium-sized enterprises through a series of new products, services, seminars and rural outreach.

“Our Government supports small and medium-sized enterprises across the country so they can focus on growing their business and creating jobs for Canadians” said MP Young, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification. “I am pleased that TradeStart will give businesses the tools they need to expand their markets and grow our economy.”

“B.C.’s small and medium-sized businesses are significant contributors to the export economy, and account for 38% of the total value of goods exported from the Province,” said Small Business BC CEO, George Hunter. “In 2010, they exported $29.3 billion worth of merchandise from B.C. The TradeStart program will help ensure that even more small businesses get the knowledge they need to become successful international traders.”

The Government of Canada is committed to advancing the interests of Canada’s industries and continues to help them provide high-quality jobs in the communities that depend on them. Investments that support these industries will be essential to realizing economic opportunities, creating employment, and enhancing the Canadian advantage.

Western Economic Diversification Canada works with the provinces, industry associations and communities to promote the development and diversification of the western economy, coordinates federal economic activities in the West and advances the interests of western Canadians in national decision making.

-30-

The Government of Canada announced new funding to support youth in Vancouver to help them gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to enter and succeed in the job market. The announcement was made by Wai Young, Member of Parliament for Vancouver South, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development.

“Our government’s top priority is creating jobs and economic growth,” said Ms. Young. “Our government’s Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the skills and gain the experience they need to get jobs now and prepare for the workforce of tomorrow.”

Intersections Media Opportunities for Youth Society is receiving over $167,000 through the Skills Link program to help youth overcome barriers to employment. Skills Link is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy (YES).

With annual funding of more than $300 million, YES helps youth, particularly those facing barriers to employment, obtain career information, develop employment skills, find jobs and stay employed. YES includes the Skills Link and Career Focus programs and the Canada Summer Jobs initiative, which creates thousands of job opportunities for students every summer.

The participants in the Intersections Media Opportunities for Youth Society project will attend skills workshops that focus on topics such as resumé writing, effective communication and team building. Working in teams, the participants will then develop technical skills in digital filmmaking and gain hands-on experience through the creation of public service announcements for the local community.

Youth employment programs are part of the Government of Canada’s broader strategy to create an educated, skilled and flexible workforce. The Government underscored its commitment to this strategy in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. A key component of the Plan is to create more and better opportunities for Canadian workers through skills development. To learn more about Canada’s Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.

The Government of Canada is helping youth prepare for, find and maintain meaningful employment through enhanced online services available at Youth.gc.ca.

- 30 -