News Releases - 2012

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.