News Releases

Harper Government Advances Senate Reform

Ottawa ON (February 1st, 2013) – The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State for Democratic Reform, and the Honourable Claude Carignan, Senator and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, today announced the launch of a reference on Senate reform to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Government looks forward to receiving the Supreme Court’s opinion on what is required to reform the Senate and what is required to abolish the Senate.

Harper Government Welcomes Vote on Political Loans Legislation

Ottawa, ON (October 2, 2012) – The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), today welcomed the vote and second-reading passage of the Political Loans Accountability Act. The bill seeks to bring greater transparency and accountability to Canada’s political financing regime by banning corporate and union political loans and by requiring loans to politicians from financial institutions to be made at market rates of interest.

Harper Government Applauds New Brunswick's Action on Senate Reform

Ottawa, ON (June 1, 2012) – The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), and the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and regional minister for New Brunswick, today applauded the introduction of An Act Respecting the Selection of Senator Nominees into the legislature of New Brunswick.

Harper Government Highlights Taxpayer Savings Through Diminished Subsidies for Political Parties

Ottawa, Ontario (May 17, 2012) – The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), today highlighted the $8 million in taxpayer savings the Harper Government has achieved by phasing out the direct subsidy of political parties.

Harper Government welcomes British Columbia's Senate Election Act

Ottawa, ON (March 6, 2012) – The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), and the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages and Minister responsible for British Columbia, today welcomed the introduction of the Senate Election Act into the legislature of British Columbia.

Harper Government Committed to Repealing Dated Ban on Early Communication of Election Results

Ottawa, ON (January 13, 2012) –The Honourable Tim Uppal, Minister of State for Democratic Reform, today announced that the Harper Government will ensure that Canadians are no longer penalized for early communication of election results.

Minister Uppal confirmed via Twitter that the Government will introduce legislation to repeal sections of the Canada Elections Act prohibiting the early transmission of election results.

Getting Things Done for Canadians: Harper Government Delivering on Democratic Reform Commitments

Ottawa, ON (December 16, 2011) – The Harper Government delivered on two key democratic reform commitments with the Royal Assent of the Budget Implementation Act, which contains measures eliminating the per-vote subsidy for political parties, and with the Royal Assent of the Fair Representation Act, which updates the formula allocating House of Commons seats to provinces.

Getting Things Done for Canadians: Harper Government Delivering on Rep-By-Pop Commitment

Ottawa, ON (December 13, 2011) – The Harper Government today welcomed the passage of the Fair Representation Act through the House of Commons. This legislation, now before the Senate, will move every single Canadian towards representation by population.

Harper Government Welcomes Passage of Rep-By-Pop Bill at Second Reading

Ottawa, ON (November 3, 2011) – The Hon. Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), today made the following statement on the passage at second reading and referral to committee of the Fair Representation Act:

“Canadians living in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta have become significantly underrepresented as their populations have grown.

Harper Government is Committed to Closing Political Financing Loophole

Ottawa, ON (November 2, 2011) – The Hon. Tim Uppal, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), along with Jacques Gourde, Member of Parliament for Lotbinière–Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, today reaffirmed the Harper Government’s longstanding commitment to strengthening Canada’s democratic institutions by re-introducing the Political Loans Accountability Act.

Pages