Leon Benoit, MP -- Vegreville

Government of Canada invests in projects to support Canadian seniors

May 13, 2013,

TOFIELD, AB, MAY 13 - Seniors in Tofield at the Tofield Golden Club will soon have new opportunities to volunteer, mentor younger generations and help raise awareness of elder abuse thanks to funding through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).

Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright made the announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, and the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors).

“Our government recognizes the diversity of skills, knowledge and experience that seniors contribute to our society and the economy,” said Mr. Benoit. “Through initiatives such as the New Horizons for Seniors Program, we are helping to ensure that seniors maintain a high quality of life and continue as active, participating members of their communities.”

The Tofield Golden Club in Tofield will receive $12,000 for its project Senior’s Helping Seniors which will support social participation by starting a fitness and computer class giving seniors and opportunity to stay healthy and keep up to date with technology.

Since its beginning, the New Horizons for Seniors Program has funded more than 12,200 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada. This year, the Government of Canada will provide more than $33 million in funding for approximately 1,750 community projects.
Benoit supports March for Life

May 07, 2013,
Increasing Student Financial Assistance

May 02, 2013,

OTTAWA (May 2, 2013) – Our government’s top priority is creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. Ensuring that Canadians have access to post-secondary education is therefore vital for Canada’s economic prosperity. That is why our government has adjusted the low- and middle-income thresholds used to assess eligibility for Canada Student Grants and part-time Canada Student Loans and Grants for the 2013-2014 school year.

“Our government is committed to helping Canadians get the education, skills and experience they need for jobs in high-demand,” said Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright.

Income thresholds are based on pre-tax income, the number of people in the family and the province or territory of residence. This takes into consideration how much money families will need to pay for various items, including shelter, food, household operation, child care, transportation, and health and personal care, among other items. For example, for the 2013-2014 school year, the low-income threshold for a family of three will vary between $30,975 and $36,192, depending on the province or territory.

Our government has always been committed to supporting education and training to connect Canadians with available jobs. Over $10 billion is invested annually by our government in support of post-secondary education, which includes providing students with financial assistance through Canada Student Loans and Canada Student Grants.

In 2011-2012 alone approximately 450,000 post-secondary students received $2.4 billion in Canada Student Loans, and more than 335,000 students received $647 million in Canada Student Grants. The adjustments scheduled for the 2013-2014 school year will allow more students than ever before to qualify for financial assistance.

“We are proud to help Canadians gain the skills and education required to participate in today’s workforce and contribute to Canada’s overall economic prosperity,” concluded Mr. Benoit.
Benoit to remain as your MP for years

May 01, 2013,

AT THE VERY LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT FEDERAL ELECTION - OCTOBER 2015

OTTAWA (1 May 2013) – While attending events throughout Vegreville-Wainwright, Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for the area, has been made aware of some confusion about who is the federal representative for the riding. “I just want to make it absolutely clear that I will remain as the Member of Parliament for the Vegreville-Wainwright electoral district until at least October 19th, 2015, which is the expected date of the next election,” explains Benoit.

Benoit states the confusion is partly due to the requirement that the federal electoral boundaries of each province in Canada must be readjusted following each decennial census to accommodate new electoral districts and the growth, shifts and changes in population since the last readjustment of boundaries.

While the process to establish the revised boundaries is ongoing, current boundaries are in effect until the next federal election which is scheduled for October 19^th, 2015

“Therefore, as I have been, I remain your Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright with the boundaries unchanged until October 2015,” reaffirms Benoit.

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