What's New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

May 14, 2008
Hours worked and labour productivity in the provinces and territories, 2007
Newfoundland and Labrador led the nation in labour productivity growth in 2007, while Alberta had the largest decline. In both cases, changes in the relative contribution of conventional crude oil extraction to their respective provincial economies played a large role.

May 13, 2008
Canada's immigrant labour market, 2007
Employment among immigrants aged 25 to 54, that is, core working age, increased 2.1% in 2007, thanks in large part to gains among immigrants in Quebec. Despite this increase, the employment rate gap between immigrants and the Canadian born widened.

The Canadian Immigrant Labour Market in 2007
Source:
The Immigrant Labour Force Analysis Series
(incl. links to earlier related products)

May 1, 2008
2006 Census: Earnings, income and shelter costs
Statistics Canada today releases detailed analysis of data from the 2006 Census on earnings and income. (...) Also available today are several tables containing 2006 Census data on shelter costs.

Earnings and Incomes of Canadians
Over the Past Quarter Century, 2006 Census (PDF - 688K, 51 pages)
May 2008

May 1, 2008
Housing and shelter costs
- incl. topic-based tabulations, a complete cumulative profile (including income and earnings, and shelter costs), the updated housing and dwelling characteristics reference guide and more...

NOTE: for more links to 2006 Census products,
go to the Social Statistics Links page of this site:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/stats.htm

Source:
2006 Census

April 29, 2008
Payroll employment, earnings and hours, February 2008
The average weekly earnings of payroll employees (seasonally adjusted) stood at $786.80 in February, up 0.6% from January. Compared with a year earlier, average weekly earnings were up 3.1%.

Employment Insurance, February 2008
An estimated 451,040 Canadians received regular Employment Insurance benefits in February, down 4,800 from the previous month (seasonally adjusted estimates). The number of persons receiving regular Employment Insurance benefits decreased in eight provinces, with the largest declines in Saskatchewan (-7.1%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-2.3%). Regular benefit payments in February totalled $692.9 million.

April 29, 2008
Featured product
Education Matters: Insights on education, learning and training in Canada - April 2008
This issue of Statistics Canada's free online publication Education Matters: Insights on Education, Learning and Training in Canada contains two articles:

* Adult learning in Canada: Characteristics of learners
- summarizes findings of a recent report that examined characteristics of adult learners in Canada, including links between participation in adult education and training and literacy skill levels, education, family background and age.

* Why are the majority of university students women?
- summarizes results of a recent report that set out to explain the gender gap in university participation.

[ Previous issues of Education Matters ]

April 28, 2008
Provincial and territorial economic accounts, 2007
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.7% nationally in 2007, matching the average rate of growth during the last five years. GDP growth in five provinces and all three territories, mostly on the strength of natural resources, surpassed the national average, with Newfoundland and Labrador well ahead of all the other provinces. More detailed analysis on today's releases, including additional charts and tables, can be found in the 2007 preliminary estimates issue of Provincial and Territorial Economic Accounts Review.

April 28, 2008
Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2004/2005
The number of students graduating from Canadian universities with a doctorate has remained stable since the mid 1990s, but there are signs that this may change.

April 25, 2008
Study: Retiring together, or not, 1986 to 2001
Rather than retiring together, men and women in dual-earner couples appeared to have approached retirement in a more independent fashion during the 1990s, a new study has found. The study, published today in Perspectives on Labour and Income, examined the extent to which spouses in dual-earner couples synchronized the timing of their retirements over the last two decades. It also looked at factors associated with taking different paths into retirement.

The article "Retiring together, or not" is now available in the
April 2008 online edition of Perspectives on Labour and Income.

[ Earlier issues of Perspectives on Labour and Income ]

April 25, 2008
Local government finance: Assets and liabilities at December 31, 2005
During the five years leading up to December 31, 2005, local governments in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and Nunavut had financial assets that exceeded their liabilities. The net financial debt of local governments, defined as the excess of liabilities over financial assets, was $9.5 billion at December 31, 2005, up 7.4%, or $652 million, from a year earlier. On a long term basis, local government finance continued to improve, with net financial debt declining from a peak of $23.5 billion in 1993.

April 24, 2008
Earnings, income and shelter costs, 2006 Census
On May 1, 2008, Statistics Canada will release a detailed analysis of data from the 2006 Census on earnings and income. This analysis will be presented in an online document, titled Earnings and Incomes of Canadians Over the Past Quarter Century, 2006 Census, which will be available on our website at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time, on May 1.
[click the link for more detail.]

April 24, 2008
Employment, Earnings and Hours, January 2008 (PDF - 2.4MB, 553 pages)
Over 500 pages of current monthly labour market information at the national and provincial/territorial levels, estimates based on a combination of different sources (records provided by Canada Revenue Agency, data from Statistics Canada on public administration services and data from a small sample Statistics Canada survey questionnaire to businesses. The tabulations cover employment, average weekly and hourly earnings, average weekly hours and more, for over 300 industries.

[ Earlier issues in this series ]

April 17, 2008
Consumer Price Index, March 2008
Consumer prices rose 1.4% on average in the 12 months to March 2008, the fourth consecutive month in which the rate of growth has decelerated. This was the slowest rate of growth since January 2007.

April 17, 2008
Current economic conditions
Output in January rebounded smartly from a sharp drop in December, reflecting a widespread increase in demand. This was consistent with employment, which picked up steadily through the first quarter.

===> Jump directly to a larger collection of links from The Daily (further down on the same page you're reading now)

HOME PAGE

What's New
 

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada supports Canadians abroad; helps Canadian companies succeed in global markets; promotes Canada's culture and values; and works to build a more peaceful and secure world.

NAFTA partners recommit to full implementation of NAFTA
News Release
July 16, 2004
"International Trade Minister Jim Peterson met today with United States Trade Representative Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, and Mexican Secretary of the Economy Fernando Canales at the 10th annual ministerial meeting of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Commission in San Antonio, Texas. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to build on NAFTA's achievements over the last decade with a view to generating continued strong growth in trade and investment in North America."

----------------------
NOTE: the links in the section below are from previous versions of the DFAIT (Dept. of Foreign Affairs and International Trade) website.
Many of the links still work (as at April 16/04), but someone will eventually realize that they didn't delete the files from their server, so you can expect some broken links
----------------------

HOME PAGE
Contents : Canadian Foreign Policy - International Trade - Travel Assistance - Countries and Regions - Culture, Education and Youth - Ministers and Secretaries of State - Latest News - Quicklinks
NOTE: The following content seems to have disappeared from the "new and improved" DFAIT site:
Global Issues, Peace and Security - Canada and International Organizations - Canada's Relations with Other Countries - Trade and Economic Policy - International Development - Environment - Canada and the World Summit for Social Development.
I wish there were some Internet Web content police or similar authority that might say "Hey, DFAIT, you can't delete content from your website just because you feel like it - this stuff is now in the public domain." That's the difference between paper copies and Web versions of reports and such - content of paper reports can't be blithely deleted when governments shift ideological gears or decide that their site content needs "freshening up"for whatever reason....
- If you use the Internet Archive ("Wayback Machine"), you can often find Web pages that have disappeared - http://www.archive.org
-------------------------------------------
Twist of irony:
After composing the above rant, I decided to check the other links on the DFAIT website, so I worked my way up the directory structure (by cutting back segments of the URL in the Location/Address box in my browser - DO try this at home!) and stumbled across a link back to the old site, which apparently is still on the DFAIT server but inaccessible by browsing or searching.
Social Issues was a large section of the old site that contained links to more info on Children's rights - Disability Issues - Population Issues - Canada and the World Summit on Social Development (WSSD). You can still get there by using the link in the previous sentence.
HINT: You'll know if you're in the old or the new site by the colour of the graphics - brownish-gold for the old site, blue for the new one.
This is possibly a time-limited "offer" - the old site may be deleted at any time
-------------------------------------------

Human Rights, Humanitarian Affairs, International Women's Equality Division
- incl. Five Year Review of International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action (ICPD+5) - Human Rights & Canadian Foreign Policy - Migration & Refugee Issues - Social Issues - Children's Rights - Disability Issues - Population Issues - Statements & Speeches on Human Rights Issues - Related Press Releases from the Department - Human Rights Instruments & Documents - United Nations (UN) - Other Related Internet Sites - Other Government Departments - International Criminal Tribunals - International Organizations and Conferences - Non-governmental Organization (NGOs) - Women's Human Rights Resources - and much more...

Cyber Hemisphere-- "an exciting place at the dawn of a new millennium!
THE HEMISPHERE SUMMIT OFFICE of Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is your link to the activities leading up to Canada's hosting the 2001 Summit of the Americas in Quebec City."
Behind a deceptively simple user interface lies a wealth of information(i.e., make sure you click all the buttons!) on a variety of issues and events affecting the Western Hemisphere . Here, you'll find information about the XIIIth Pan American Games (July 23 - August 8, 1999) - Ninth Conference of Spouses of Heads of State and Government of the Americas (September 29 - October 1, 1999) - Fifth Americas Business Forum (November 1-3, 1999) - FTAA Trade Ministers Meeting (November 3-4, 1999) - Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly (June 4-6, 2000) - NEW  2001 Summit of the Americas (Spring 2001).

Canada and the United States - A Strong Partnership
"The links between Canada and the United States are deep and diverse. We share a long tradition of cooperation in fighting together for freedom, and a renewed commitment to building a "smart" border that will ensure the free and secure flow of goods and people so vital to our economies. Our trading relationship is the largest and most comprehensive in the world. We are also working together to protect our shared water, air and wildlife."
Source: Dept of International Affairs and Foreign Trade

North American Free Trade Agreement website

The NAFTA at Eight
Eight years ago, Canada, the U.S.and Mexico formed the world's largest free trade area under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). This report provides a detailed overview of its benefits.
Report

Secretary of the Economy-Mexico
Office of the United States Trade Representative
United States International Trade Commission
NAFTA Works 

APEC - Thailand 2003 Summit
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting is taking place on October 20 and 21 in Thailand.
Related Links:
Ministerial meeting
APEC Working for Canadians

Government of Canada Celebrates NAFTA @ 10
News Release
October 6, 2003
"Minister for International Trade, Pierre Pettigrew, today released a report on the impacts of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and launched a student multimedia contest to demonstrate the benefits of the Agreement and to encourage informed dialogue on the role of trade liberalization and the future of NAFTA. This announcement comes on the eve of the annual NAFTA Commission meeting to be held in Montreal on October 7, and as the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of NAFTA approaches, on January 1, 2004. The comprehensive statistical report, entitled NAFTA@10: A Preliminary Report, highlights the impact of the Agreement on Canada's trade and investment performance over the past decade, using statistics available to date."

NAFTA@10: A Preliminary Report
"The NAFTA is the world's largest trade bloc with a gross domestic product (GDP), at present, of US$11.4 trillion, about one-third of the world's total and seven percentage points more
than that of the European Union."
"NAFTA @ 10 - A Preliminary Report is the first of two reports to be produced by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade providing both statistics and analysis of
Canada's international trade and investment performance leading up to ten years after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and to fifteen years after the Canada-U.S. Free
Trade Agreement (FTA). A second report will be published in the spring of 2004 making use of the full ten years of data."

Pettigrew to Host NAFTA Commission Meeting in Montreal
Media Advisory
October 2, 2003
Media representatives are advised that International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew will host his American and Mexican counterparts in Montreal on October 7 for the annual meeting of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Commission.
- includes an agenda, of sorts...

NAFTA Partners to Meet in Montreal in October
News Release
September 19, 2003

Canada and the North American Free Trade Agreement (A DFAIT website including the text of the NAFTA agreement and related resources)

HOME PAGE

Chamber Business
- links to the latest debates and the latest journals in both the Senate and the House of Commons

Committee Business
- links to committee Mandates, Membership, Lists of Studies and Committee Meetings as well as Schedules of Meetings, Minutes of Proceedings and Evidence and Press Releases are available for both the Senate and the House of Commons.

Bills
- links to bills on today's agenda in both the Senate and the House of Commons; also includes progress of legislation and status of House business.

About Parliament
- incl. People - The Parliamentary Process - The Parliament Buildings - Education - Youth Programs - Photos - Related Information (government departments, the courts, political parties, etc) - A to Z Index - Partners for a Green Hill

Senators and Members
- 105 Senators, 308 Members (Sept. 2005)

Webcast
- Parliamentary Proceedings for both the Senate and the House of Commons --- click on either the Senate or the House of Commons to view the web broadcast schedule of events as well as to access the live stream of the events.

Visitor Information
- helpful information for tourists and visitors as well as for individuals doing business with Parliament --- maps, special events, guided tours, tourism/transit links, etc.

International and Interparliamentary Affairs
- calendar of events and information detailing the international activities of parliamentarians, (including their work with Parliamentary Associations and Interparliamentary groups, Parliamentary Exchanges, Protocol events or Parliamentary Conferences).

Virtual Library
- links to the reports of the Information and Documentation Branch (7 reports) and the Parliamentary Information and Research Service (250+ reports)

Library of Parliament Research Publications
The Parliamentary Information and Research Service (PIRS) provides a consulting service for individual parliamentarians, responding to questions that require research and analysis on legal, economic, scientific, or social science matters. Researchers obtain and analyze material, and write letters, short notes and longer research papers at the request of Senators and Members of the House of Commons. In some cases, responses are provided to clients by telephone briefings or by meetings with individual parliamentarians and/or their staff.
Publication Categories:
* Aboriginal Issues * Agriculture/Agri-food * Business and Corporate Issues * Competition/Consumer * Copyright/Patents/Trademark * Crime: Prevention and Responses * Culture and Communications
* Debt/Deficit/Budget * Defence and Security * Economic Issues * Education * Elections, Referendums and Polling * Energy * Environment and Sustainable Development * Family, Children and Youth * Federal-Provincial/Constitution * Financial Institutions * Fisheries * Foreign Affairs and International Law * Government and Public Administration * Health * Human Rights and Freedoms (see below) * Immigration and Citizenship * Labour and Employment * Legislative Summaries - First Session, 39th Parliament* * Natural Resources * Official Languages * Parliament and the Legislative Process * Science and Technology * Social Security Issues * Taxation * Trade and Commerce * Transport

A to Z Index
- arranges information provided on the site by subject for easy searching

About Governors General of Canada
- information about the current Governor-General (Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean) and her predecessors

Frequently Asked Questions
...about the Parliamentary Internet website.

Glossary of Parliamentary Procedure

Here are just a few other examples of the excellent reports
from the Virtual Library [ Parliament of Canada ]:

A Primer on Federal Social Security Contributions (Canada)
By Philippe Bergevin, Economics Division
August 27, 2007
HTML version
PDF version (82K, 4 pages)
"Social security contributions are increasingly recognized by governments as an important source of revenues with which to finance expenditures on social security programs, such as government-sponsored pension plans and employment insurance programs. In Canada, social security contributions at the federal level – contributions to the Canada and Quebec Pension Plans and employment insurance premiums – totalled $39 billion in 2005-2006..."
Table of Contents:
* Overview (Employment Insurance - Canada/Quebec Pension Plan) * Pros and Cons (Equity - Efficiency - Administration and Compliance) * International Context

Tax Freedom Day: A Cause for Celebration or Consternation?
By Sheena Starky, Economics Division
September 18, 2006
HTML version
PDF version (108K, 13 pages)
"Each year, typically in June, Canadian media recognize the arrival of Tax Freedom Day, the day on which Canadian families with two or more individuals are purported to have earned sufficient income to pay their total tax bill to all levels of government for the entire year, and , therefore, to be able to "start working for themselves." Critics claim that the notion of Tax Freedom Day is misleading and is calculated using a flawed methodology.
(...) While the idea of Tax Freedom Day is intuitively appealing and media-friendly, the concept does not enjoy unanimous support in Canada or in other countries where similar reports on Tax Freedom Day exist. (...) More fundamentally, critics question the usefulness of the Tax Freedom Day indicator since it considers only the tax burden without regard to the benefits received in exchange."
- includes links to nine related resources
Source:
Virtual Library
[ Parliament of Canada ]

Related links:

Neil Brooks on Tax Freedom Day - from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Child Care in Canada: The Federal Role
By Julie Cool, Political and Social Affairs Division
Revised 16 April 2007
HTML version
PDF version (97K, 12 pages)
Table of Contents:
* A New Approach to Child Care
* The Federal Role in Child Care
* The National Child Benefit
* The Early Childhood Development Initiative
* The Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care
* Bilateral Agreements with the Provinces on Early Learning and Child Care – 2005
* Moving Toward Direct Payments to Families for Child Care
* Other Federal Supports to Early Learning and Child Care in Canada
Highly recommended! this is a good primer on the federal role in child care in Canada as well as a timeline of federal involvement in this field.
- includes over 30 links to related resources!

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat: Government Response to the
Tenth Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
August 18, 2005
Source:
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Related Links:

Governance in the Public service of Canada : Ministerial and Deputy Ministerial Accountability
(Tenth) Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
John Williams, M.P. (Chairman)
May 2005
HTML Version
- Cover page + Committee members (3 pages)
- Table of Contents - incl. links to all individual sections
PDF version (256K, 47 pages)

Source:
House of Commons Committees Reports and Responses
[HINT: Click the link above to see a list of, and links to, 200+ reports by House of Commons Committees]
[ House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts ]
[ Parliament of Canada Website ]

Senate Committee Reports
Substantive Reports of Committees (includes House of Commons, Senate and joint committees)

About Parliament
People - The people, past and present, who represent Canadians in Parliament and the key players in the parliamentary process
Parliamentary Process - Canada's Parliament at work
The Parliament Buildings - The history and architecture of the buildings on Parliament Hill.
Education - Teachers Institute on Canadian Parliamentary Democracy and the Canadian Study of Parliament Group
Youth Programs - An opportunity for young Canadians to work on Parliament Hill
Photos - View the beauty of Parliament in our photo gallery
Related Information - Parliament's relationship to government departments, the courts, political parties, etc...
A to Z Index - The index arranges information provided on this site by subject for easy searching.

About Prime Ministers of Canada
Canada's Prime Ministers bring a variety of life experiences to the job. This unique collection highlights the political and electoral histories of our Prime Ministers and includes biographical details

Cabinet and Ministry
Historical Information since 1867

Parliamentary Research Branch Publications - links to over 200 reports and studies by the Parliamentary Library staff over the years on a variety of topics

How Canadians Govern Themselves - 6th Edition
September 23, 2005
Library of Parliament
A good primer on Canadian Government; highly recommended!
- info is organized under the following headings: Introduction - Parliamentary Government - A Federal State - Powers of the National and Provincial Governments - Canadian and
American Government - The Rule of Law and the Courts - The Institutions of Our Federal Government - What Goes On in Parliament - Provinces and Municipalities - Living Government- Governors General of Canada since Confederation - Canadian Prime Ministers since 1867.

Inside Canada's Parliament (PDF file - 1.14MB, 41 pages)
June 17, 2002
"Inside Canada's Parliament is a publication that provides an introduction to how the Canadian Parliament works; it was commissioned by the Senate, the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament to provide those interested in Parliament - including members of the public, teachers, business people and parliamentarians from both here and abroad - with an understanding of the Canadian system. The information in this guide is intended to provide key facts about Parliament and, at the same time, capture its spirit and give readers some insight into how the work of Parliament actually gets done, and by whom."
Online version (HTML)
Source : Library of Parliament

The Effectiveness of and Possible Improvements to the Present Equalization Policy
The HTML file (above) is 317K, 27 pages if printed
PDF version (235K, 45 pages)
Fourteenth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance
March 2002
- incl. an overview of federal transfers to the provinces and territories, historical information on the equalization program since 1947, current hot issues between the two levels of governments, and recommendations. Required reading for students of equalization and federal-provincial relations, or if you have insomnia.
Source : Standing Senate Committee on National Finance

Promises to Keep : Implementing Canada's Human Rights Obligations
Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
December 2001
This 37-page report explores various aspects of the field of human rights in Canada, with a special focus on the acceptance and implementation by Canadian governments of international human rights obligations.
Issues for Further Study include : Canada and the Human Rights Treaty Bodies - Parliament and the Treaty-Making Process - Legislative Implementation of International Human Rights Instruments - Reviewing Proposed Legislation for Consistency with Human Rights - International Human Rights and Canadian Federalism - Human Rights Treaties Not Yet Signed or Ratified by Canada - Canadian Accession to the American Convention on Human Rights - The Right of Privacy
Immediate Recommendations include : Canada’s Representation at the United Nations Human Rights Commission - Canada’s Outstanding International Human Rights Reports - Balancing Human Rights and Security - Discrimination on the Basis of Social Condition - Canada’s Human Rights Commissions - International Human Rights Web-Site - Supporting the Work of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies - Conference of Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Human Rights
Press Release - December 13, 2001
Related Committee Proceedings : "...issues relating to human rights and, inter alia, the machinery of government dealing with Canada's international and national human rights obligations"
Senate Committee on Human Rights Website

Related Link:

Enhancing Canada's Role in the Organization of American States : Canadian Adherence to the American Convention on Human Rights
May 2003
Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights
"In November 2002, the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights received a second mandate to study and report on Canada's possible adherence to the American Convention on Human Rights. The role of the Committee was to review Canadian participation in the Inter-American system for the protection of human rights and make recommendations on whether or not Canada should ratify the American Convention on Human Rights."
Source : Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights

Settlement and Immigration: A Sense of Belonging
"Feeling at Home"
Report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
June 2003
Source : Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration

Parliamentary Research Branch Publications - The Parliamentary Research Branch (PRB) provides a consulting service for individual parliamentarians, responding to questions that require research and analysis on legal, economic, scientific, or social science matters. Researchers obtain and analyze material, and write letters, short notes and longer research papers at the request of Senators and Members of the House of Commons.
On this page, you'll find links to over 200 reports on a wide range of subjects, including (to name but a few...) : Aboriginal Issues - Federal-Provincial and Constitution - Government and Public Administration - Health - Human Rights and Freedoms - Immigration and Citizenship - Labour and Employment - Legislative Summaries - Social Security Issues - Taxation...

The Canada Health Act : Overview and Options - January 2000

Homelessness - January 1999

HOME PAGE
Extensive links to Department pages and to other relevant sites.
Here are some of the links you'll find on the INAC site map --- Aboriginal Supplier Inventory - Electronic Service Delivery - Federal Programs and Services for Registered Indians - Kids' Stop - Regional Offices - Status (Most Often Asked Questions) - National Aboriginal Day - Gathering Strength - Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan - About INAC - Programs and Services (Capital Facilities - Claims - Corporate Initiatives - Economic Development - Elementary/Secondary Education - Housing - Indian Government Support - Lands and Trust Services - Northern Affairs Program - Post-Secondary Education - Self-Government - Social Assistance - Social Support Services - Other Sites - The News Room (Information Sheets - Newsletters - Northern Oil and Gas Bulletins - Treaty News - News releases - Speeches - Publications & Research - Legislation - Maps - Publications - Treaties) - Culture & History (Aboriginal Awareness - Aboriginal Veterans - Indian and Inuit Art - Indian Art Centre - International Decade - Kumik - Publications - Other Sites)

What's New

Specific Claims Action Plan
"...outlines the actions Canada's New Government plans to take to accelerate the resolution of specific claims in order to provide justice for First Nation claimants and certainty for government, industry and all Canadians. The Specific Claims Action Plan will ensure impartiality and fairness, greater transparency, faster processing and better access to mediation. It is a critical first step in bringing the specific claims program into the 21st century to deal with the existing backlog once and for all."
Source:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

Prime Minister Harper announces major reforms to address the backlog of Aboriginal treaty claims
News Release
June 12, 2007
Ottawa -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced plans for a decisive new approach that will fundamentally change the way specific claims are handled in Canada. The Specific Claims Action Plan addresses the huge backlog of unresolved treaty claims that has been the source of division and conflict in communities across the country. “Instead of letting disputes over land and compensation drag on forever, fuelling frustration and uncertainty, they will be solved once and for all by impartial judges on a new Specific Claims Tribunal,” Prime Minister Harper said.
Source:
Government of Canada News Centre

Related links:

Backgrounder - Specific Claims in Canada
- from the website of Canada's New Prime Minister

National Chief Phil Fontaine Applauds today’s Announcement by Prime Minister to Resolve Backlog of Specific Land Claims
News Release
June 12, 2007
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine said today's announcement by the Prime Minister is a positive response to what our people have advocated for decades, and it is a testament to the perseverance and dedication of our people.
Source:
Assembly of First Nations

Related articles in the news media (Google.ca search results)

Addressing Matrimonial Real Property On-Reserve
- incl. links to : * Consultations * Background Information * Reference Documents * Partners * What's New * Contact Us * Make your voice heard!

Addressing Matrimonial Property Rights on Reserves:
Canada, AFN and NWAC Move Forward with Consultations
News Release
OTTAWA, ONTARIO (September 29, 2006) – The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-status Indians, accompanied by Beverley Jacobs, President of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), and Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), today launched the second phase of a national consultation process on the issue of the division of matrimonial real property on reserve.
Source:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Partners:
Native Women’s Association of Canada
Assembly of First Nations

Ottawa, native groups tackle matrimonial property rights issue
September 29, 2006
The federal government and aboriginal groups launched a consultation process Friday aimed at providing for the equitable division of the matrimonial home and land on reserves when marriages break down.
Provincial laws governing the fair division of assets when marriages fail do not apply on reserves and the federal Indian Act, which governs most aspects of reserve life, does not address the subject.
The consultations will be led by the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC), the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and regional native groups.
Source:
CBC News

NOTE: for more on the matrimonial real property consultations, go to the First Nations Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/1stbkmrk.htm

What's New
Kids' Stop - Wow! Well done, INAC. Check out this page, esp. Languages and History
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) - includes links to the full final report, highlights, a news release, a speech and the Institute of Indigenous Government
Gathering Strength - Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan - the federal government's response to RCAP
Federal Programs and Services for Registered Indians -  information on over a dozen federal government initiatives to assist Registered Indians in Canada
Registered Indian Status - Most Often Asked Questions

Electronic Service Delivery
- new INAC portal website, incl. links to: Capital Asset Management - Non-Registered On-Reserve Population - NetLands - First Nation Profiles - Northern Information Network - Electronic Data Interchange

Social Support Services
- incl. links to : Aboriginal Workforce Directorate - Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiative - Community Infrastructure and Housing - First Nations Housing (November 1997) - Gender Equity Analysis Policy - How do Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal living conditions compare? (summer-fall 1995) - Increase in post-secondary education enrolment (January 1996) - Living conditions north of 60^o (February 1996) - Post-Secondary Education & Labour Market Outcomes for Registered Indians - Youth Strategy- Social Development

Links to Aboriginal Websites - Over 75 links, mostly Canadian 

NOTE: See the Canadian Social Research Links First Nations page for more links to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada content

Minister Supports First Nations-Designed Governance Projects
News Release
November 5, 2003
"Robert D. Nault, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, today announced $5 million for First Nations Governance pilot projects. These projects will focus on improving and enhancing governance structures in First Nations communities. Today, announcements are being made in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic and Yukon on approved projects. Over 200 project proposals have already been received from across Canada."

First Nations Governance Pilot Projects - Backgrounder
Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Robert D. Nault, has launched a series of pilot projects totalling $5 million. These projects will focus on improving and enhancing governance structures in First Nations communities. Ninety-six projects have been approved in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic and Yukon. Over 200 proposals are being reviewed by INAC from all regions.

Aboriginal Policy Research Conference
Co-sponsored with the University of Western Ontario
November 26-28, 2002 - Ottawa
NOTE: this page contains only a description of the conference.
Click on the conference graphic at the top of the page to go to a separate page of information about the conference...

Basic Departmental Data - 2001(PDF file - 451K, 91 pages)
- Large and timely collection of statistics on a wide range of topics, including demographics, health, education, social conditions, housing, self-government and The North. The Social Conditions section offers statistics (including a number of ten-year time series) on children in care, adults in institutional care, social assistance recipients and beneficiaries, and social assistance program administration.

HOME PAGE

2002–03 Annual Report on the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act
May 21, 2004
Includes links to:
About the Organization (Overview of Industry Canada, Information and Privacy Rights Administration, Case Load, Other Business, Fees, Information Holdings, Web Site, Reading Rooms)
Part I — Access to Information (Statistical Report — Interpretation and Explanation, Complaints and Appeals, Formal/Informal Interface)
Part II — Privacy (Statistical Report — Interpretation and Explanation, Complaints and Appeals, Disclosure under Section 8(2)(e) of the Privacy Act, Use and Disclosure, Formal/Informal Interface)
Appendix I — Report on the Access to Information Act
Appendix II — Report on the Privacy Act

Virtual Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office
"Our Web site describes ATIP's responsibilities and provides contacts, downloadable request forms and other related information."

Canada's Innovation Strategy
February 12, 2002
Two reports - one from Industry Canada, the other from Human Resources Development Canada
- incl. links to :
Achieving Excellence : Investing in People, Knowledge and Opportunities
Knowledge Matters : Skills and Learning for Canadians

HOME PAGE

News and Events
Programs and Services - incl. links to : Aboriginal Justice Learning Network - Access to Information and Privacy - Child Custody and Access - Child Support - Constitutional Affairs - Crime Prevention - Dispute Resolution - Electronic Commerce - Family Orders and Agreements - Firearms - La Francophonie - International Cooperation - Research and Statistics - Victims of Crime - Youth Justice
Child Support (News releases, backgrounders, guidelines, etc.)
Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Full text from the Dept. of Justice)

Justice Canada 2000 - "website on the evolution of human rights in 20th Century Canada"
- large collection of information about key court cases and laws that have shaped human rights in our country since 1900. You can navigate the site by time portal, by time period (the 20th century is divided into four 25-year sections) or by subject
"To tell the fascinating story of 100 years of human rights, the Department of Justice Canada has put together an impressive array of historical background material, case studies, cross references and anecdotal information."
- Large subject list, includes:
NOTE: go to the Justice Canada 2000 page [above] to access subjects that aren't hyperlinked below
Evolution of human rights in 20th Century Canada
Women's Rights since 1900
Aboriginal Rights since 1900
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Minority Rights - Freedom of Expression - Freedom of Religion - Voting Rights - Criminal Law - International - Charter - Department's History - Ministers - Teacher's Guides

Bill C-38 – The Civil Marriage Act – Receives Royal Assent
July 20, 2005
"The Honourable Irwin Cotler, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced today that the Civil Marriage Act has received Royal Assent."
Related Link:
Civil Marriage and the Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Unions

Child Protection Bill [C-2] Receives Royal Assent
July 21, 2005
" Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler, welcomed the Royal Assent of Bill C-2, a comprehensive package of legislative reforms that provide increased protection to children from abuse, neglect and sexual exploitation and make the criminal justice system more responsive to the needs of children and other vulnerable victims and witnesses."
Backgrounder - highlights of Bill C-2

Decision of the Supreme Court of Canada on the Marriage Reference
Frequently Asked Questions - Supreme Court Decision on Civil Marriage and the Legal Recognition of Same-sex Unions

Minister of Justice introduces new legislation to protect children and other vulnerable persons as first Bill in new Parliament
Minister Cotler says the Bill to Protect Children and other Vulnerable Persons will give the most comprehensive child protection legislation of any country in the world.
October 8, 2004
News Release
"OTTAWA– Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler, today introduced legislation in the House of Commons to protect children and other vulnerable persons from sexual exploitation, violence, abuse and neglect."

Government of Canada reaffirms its position on Supreme Court Reference
News Release
January 28, 2004
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Irwin Cotler:
"May I begin by saying that the Government of Canada is reaffirming its position in the marriage reference, organized around two foundational principles - support for equality - and within that the extension of civil marriage to same-sex couples - and support for religious freedom - and within that protection for religious officials from being forced to perform a marriage ceremony between two persons of the same sex where it is against their religious beliefs. But there is a third important principle, and that is the importance of a full and informed debate before the court, in Parliament and in response to concerns of the public. It is to respect that third principle that the Government is seeking the opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada on a new question in the reference on civil marriage and the legal recognition of same-sex unions."
Source:
Justice Canada

Related Links:

Civil Marriage and the Legal Recognition of Same-sex Unions (Justice Canada Backgrounder)
Reference to the Supreme Court of Canada on Civil Marriage and the Legal Recognition of Same-sex Unions (Justice Canada Fact Sheet)

Ministers Cauchon and Easter Open National Victims Conference
November 3, 2003
"The Honourable Martin Cauchon, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and the Honourable Wayne Easter, Solicitor General of Canada, today opened the first-ever National Victims of Crime Conference in Ottawa. Ian Glen, Chairperson of the National Parole Board also participated in the opening ceremonies."
Source:
Justice Canada
Related Links from Justice Canada:
Policy Centre for Victims' Issues
Victims of Crime Publications
Federal, provincial and territorial government resources concerning victims of crime (also incl. links to five international resources)
Non-profit victim advocacy group:
Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime - lobbying for victims' rights and effective justice reform since 1993
Mothers Against Drink Driving (MADD)
Victims of Crime - this website [ from the Access to Justice Network ]offers helpful information for victims of crime in Canada - the Programs and Services section offers links to resources in all Canadian jurisdictions (although not updated since February 2002)

Overview of Recent Activities and Achievements
August 2003
Justice Canada
Read about the latest Justice Canada issues --- Marriage and the Legal Recognition of Same-sex Unions, Cannabis Reform, Protection of Children and Other Vulnerable Persons from Harm, Corporate Criminal Liability, Capital Markets Fraud and Enhanced Evidence Gathering Tools, and Youth Justice Renewal Initiative
- in this report, Justice Canada files are organized under the following headings:
--- Children, Youth and Families (Child-centred Family Justice Strategy, Family Violence, etc.)
--- Safety and Security (National Crime Prevention Strategy, Lawful Access, etc.)
--- Fairness and Equality (Aboriginal Justice, Sentencing Reform and Restorative Justice)
--- Making the Justice System More Accessible
--- International Work (Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Capacity Building, etc.)
---Keeping Canadians Informed
Source:
Department of Justice Online
Related Link:
Justice and the Law

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - Fact Sheet
May 16, 2003
- short (3 pages if printed) overview of the Charter, includes historical info and an interpretation of the Charter, e.g., the rights and freedoms protected under the umbrella of the Charter
Source : Justice Canada Newsroom

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Child Support

Department of Justice Child Support Page
"On May 1, 1997 new laws respecting child support came into force, including Federal Child Support Guidelines and additional federal enforcement measures to help the provinces and territories ensure that family support obligations are respected."
- incl. links to : About federal child support laws in Canada - Ten things you need to know - Eight steps to calculating child support - Laws and regulations - Provincial and territorial Enforcement programs - Links to provincial and territorial child support programs, custody and access information and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency - Publications - Latest news - Federal-Provincial-Territorial Consultations on Custody, Access and Child Support in Canada.

Child Support Enforcement - found on the What's New (Canada) website August 6/04
- incl. links to : Overview of the Canadian system of support enforcement - Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance - Glossary of Canadian reciprocal and support enforcement terms - Interjurisdictional and international support enforcement - Interjurisdictional support orders (ISO) legislation and reciprocity arrangements - Provincial and territorial information on interjurisdictional and international support order enforcement (ISO).
Source:
Child Support Page
[ Justice Canada ]

Minister of Justice Releases Report to Parliament on the Federal Child Support Guidelines
News Release
April 29, 2002

Report to Parliament on Federal Child Support Guidelines (Backgrounder)
April 2002

Children Come First: A Report to Parliament on the Provisions and Operation of the Federal Child Support Guidelines
Complete Report - links to PDF and HTML versions of the report

Minister's Speech at the Association for Canadian Studies Conference on "Canadian Rights and Freedoms: 20 Years Under the Charter"
Ottawa, April 18, 2002
"I believe that the duty to preserve fundamental rights and freedoms in Canada is not exclusive to the courts. It is first and foremost the responsibility of all citizens, Parliament and the Government." (Minister Martin Cauchon)
Source : Department of Justice
Related Links - see the Canadian Social Research Links Human Rights Links page

Government of Canada to amend Legislation to Modernize Benefits and Obligations
Pres Release
February 11, 2000
Backgrounder: Modernization of Benefits and Obligations
Marriage and legal recognition of same-sex unions: a discussion paper (PDF file - 270K, 34 pages)
November 2002
Version française:
Mariage et reconnaissance des unions de conjoints de même sexe: document de travail (fichier PDF - 273Ko, 37 pages)
Source : Justice Canada

HOME PAGE

Office of the Prime Minister of Canada - The Honourable Stephen Harper
February 6, 2006
- incl. links to : The Prime Minister - The Ministry - mission - Priorities - Media Centre

Prime Minister Harper announces new Ministry and reaffirms government priorities
February 6, 2006
Stephen Harper was sworn in today as Canada's 22nd Prime Minister, assuring Canadians that his government will build on Canada's achievements to keep the country strong, united, independent and free.

The New Cabinet - February 6, 2006
Prime Minister Harper's Cabinet is smaller, but one built on talent and diversity to serve all Canadians. Mr. Harper said it is now time for the new government to get to work.

Accountable Government
February 6, 2006
The following documents contain the rules upon which the Prime Minister will hold his Ministers, their staff and senior officials to account.
- Accountable Government: A Guide for Ministers (PDF version)
- Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders

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Speech from the Throne

Complete Text of the Speech from the Throne - also includes * What is a Speech from the Throne (SFT) * Frequently Asked Questions * Previous SFTs available on the Web

Google.ca Web Search Results: "Canada, throne speech"
Google.ca News Search Results: "Canada, throne speech"

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Canada's New Government delivers on ten pieces of legislation in one week
14 December 2006
Prime Minister Stephen Harper today noted that “the Senate has just finished its session and four new pieces of legislation are in the process of receiving royal assent from the Governor General and will become the law of the land.” The four Bills are as follows: Bill C-24, to resolve a longstanding trade dispute on softwood lumber; Bill C-25, to amend Canada’s proceeds of crime and terrorist financing; Bill C-19, to crack down on street racing; and Bill C-17, to amend the Judges Act and other acts in relation to courts. (...) In addition to the four above-mentioned Bills, six other Bills were granted Royal Assent last week: the Public Health Agency of Canada Act (Bill C-5); the Tax Conventions Implementation Act (Bill S-5); the First Nations Jurisdiction over Education in British Columbia Act (Bill C-34); the Appropriation Act No. 2 (Bill C-38); and the Federal Accountability Act (Bill C-2) – the toughest anti-corruption law in Canadian history."
Source:
Office of the Prime Minister
HINT: for more information on any one of these ten bills - including the actual text - just select (using your mouse) the complete name and number of one of the bills in the paragraph above (e.g., Federal Accountability Act (Bill C-2)) and paste your selection into Google.ca --- the search results page will include links to the Bill itself and also to related online resources, such as analysis or critique of the bill, or contextual information.

HOME PAGE
The Privy Council Office (PCO) is the hub of public service support to the Prime Minister and Cabinet and its decision-making structures. Led by the Clerk of the Privy Council, PCO facilitates the smooth and effective operations of Cabinet and the Government of Canada through the work of the PCO secretariats.

What's New

Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA)
Intergovernmental Affairs provides advice to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Cabinet on federal-provincial-territorial relations, the evolution of our Federation and Canadian unity.
- this is a great reference tool for anyone interested in "fed-prov relations" - good sector overviews and links to all kinds of related information on the net.

About Canadian Federalism - links to a dozen online resources, mainly from the Department of Finance

Former Prime Ministers' Archive

Guide to Canadian Ministries Since Confederation

Reports and Publications - by Subject
* Accountability * Audit, Evaluation and Review * Governance * National Security * Personnel Management * Public Expenditures * Public Service * Reports
[ reports and publications archive - same subjects as above]

The Federation at a Glance:
* About Canada
* Provinces and Territories
* Canadian Federalism
* History

Transfers and Equalization (from Financial Framework of the Federation)
Transfers between orders of government are one of the pillars of Canadian fiscal federalism. To help fund social programs and ensure equalization that guarantees that public services at reasonably comparable levels of quality and taxation are accessible throughout Canada, the federal government provides funds to the provincial and territorial governments in the form of cash or tax point transfers.
- includes links to the following content from the Finance Canada website (and one link to a Health Canada resource) :
* Federal transfers to the provinces and territories * Transfers by province/territory * Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) * Backgrounder on the CHST * Tax point transfers * Alternative payments for permanent programs and tax abatements for Quebec * Federal assistance in the health sector in Canada (role of transfers) * Recent Federal Investments in Health, Post-Secondary Education, Social Assistance And Social Services (September 11, 2000) * Federal-provincial-territorial funding agreements in the health sector * Equalization Program * Associated equalization

Related links:

The Council of the Federation (provincial-territorial)
The Council of the Federation was created in December 2003 by Premiers because they believe it is important for provinces and territories to play a leadership role in revitalizing the Canadian federation and building a more constructive and cooperative federal system.

Forum of Federations
The Forum of Federations is a non-profit, international organization based in Ottawa, Canada. We engage in a wide range of programs of mutual cooperation designed to help develop best practices in countries with federal systems of government around the world.

World Federations
Map and Fact Sheets of the Federations

Map of the provinces and territories
Click on a province or a territory for more information

HOME PAGE
"Service Canada was introduced by the Government of Canada in this year's budget, to provide Canadians with one-stop, easy access to the benefits and services they need, through the channel of their choice, whether that is by phone, in-person, or the Internet. Full implementation of Service Canada will roll out over the next three years." [Service Canada FAQ]

Service Canada Regional Information portal --- part of the enormous federal government home page, Canada.Gc.Ca
The portal page claims that it "will help you find services close to your home."
What it *doesn't* say on the portal page is that the services are ONLY those of the federal government.
Someone who is looking for information on provincial and territorial welfare programs must click the Financial Benefits link on the Service Canada portal, because that's the link that includes both federal AND provincial/territorial programs. It would be a lot easier to search for info on the Service Canada website if they told folks up front that Service Canada? "will help you find FEDERAL services close to your home", dontcha think??

Back to welfare info: Once you're on the Financial Benefits page, click on "In need of social assistance...", and then, on the Canadian map that appears in the next screen, click the name of any province or territory. The next screen (finally!) offers links to needs-tested welfare program(s) in the selected jurisdiction.

OR you can find wayyyy more welfare information by using the Canadian Social Research Links Key Welfare Links page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/welfare.htm

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Service Canada Opens the Door to Improved Services for Canadians
News Release
September 14, 2005
"(...)Service Canada integrates services from a number of federal departments to form an easy-to-access service delivery network. These services touch all aspects of the lives of Canadians: from parental and pension benefits, to matching employers with job seekers, applying for a passport and obtaining a Social Insurance Number. Today, this network brings together 320 points of service in communities throughout Canada; a national 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232) telephone service providing Canadians with information about all federal government services; and a range of on-line services at servicecanada.gc.ca. (...) In 2006, Service Canada's points of service will double, reaching 1.25 million more Canadians and giving access to many remote and rural communities previously under-served."

CanadaBenefits.gc.ca - "Connecting you to Government Benefits"
If you click on the "Financial Benefits" link on the Service Canada home page, the next page that opens up is the CanadaBenefits.gc.ca page. There's some overlap in content between these two pages, and I'm sure that the CanadaBenefits page will disappear at some point as the Service Canada site evolves. For the time being, though, both of these federal government sites allow you to customize by province or territory the information on government programs that you're looking for. If you explore the Canada Benefits site a bit more, however, you'll note that the search results include *both* federal and provincial-territorial government programs and services, whereas Service Canada's "Services Where You Live" feature covers only federal programs where you live...

HOME PAGE

Statistics Canada Tables by subject
- incl. * Aboriginal peoples * Agriculture * Business performance and ownership * Business, consumer and property services * Children and youth * Construction * Crime and justice * Culture and leisure * Economic accounts * Education, training and learning * Energy * Environment * Ethnic diversity and immigration * Families, households and housing * Government * Health * Income, pensions, spending and wealth * Information and communications technology * International trade * Labour * Languages * Manufacturing * Population and demography * Prices and price indexes * Retail and wholesale * Science and technology * Seniors * Society and community * Transportation * Travel and tourism

NOTE:
For links to Statistics Canada information on low-income measures (LICO, LIM)  and income inequality, see the Canadian Social Research Links Poverty Measures page
See also the Canadian Social Research Links Social Statistics page for more Stats Canada links

 - Canadian Statistics Menu - the economy, the land, the people and the State.
 - Statistics Canada Links to Statistical Web Servers (provincial, international)
- Latest Consumer Price Index #'s
- Latest Labour Force Survey #'s

Statistics Canada Research Papers - Income Series - Includes Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics 
- links to over 100 studies online, from 1993 to 2003

Census of Canada 2001 - Home Page
- incl. info organized under the following categories:
Data and Analysis: Search by topic * Search by geography * Show me data on the community I live in * Analysis Series * How do I obtain a custom census data tabulation? * Multimedia presentations of census data * Aboriginal Population Profile * Federal Electoral District Profile
Maps: Thematic maps * Reference maps * GeoSearch
Reference: Census questionnaires * Census dictionary * Census catalogue * Census handbook * Census technical reports
Recent Releases
Provincial/territorial data: Scroll down the Census 2001 home page for provincial and territorial profiles

Perspectives on labour and income
"Get insight into the key issues facing the Canadian workplace with Perspectives on Labour and Income. Available in a quarterly print or monthly online format, Perspectives is one of the few impartial sources of Canadian labour market analysis available."
Perspectives Online - current month's issue
Back Issues of Perspectives on labour and income - back to October 2000
[Check out the interesting collection of free sample articles in each issue of Perspectives]

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Some Sample Reports from "StatCan":

April 16, 2008
What's new from the
Census of Canada:

Ethnic origin and visible minorities:
* Thematic maps
* Profile release components for lower levels of geography

(April 8, 2008)
Additional topic-based tabulations for:
* Immigration and citizenship
* Language
* Mobility and migration
AND:
Reference guides

(April 2, 20