Ted Menzies

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Ted Menzies
Ted Menzies
Member of Parliament
for Macleod
Incumbent
Assumed office 
2004
Preceded by Grant Hill
Born February 18, 1952 (1952-02-18) (age 56)
Claresholm, Alberta
Political party Conservative

Ted Menzies (born February 18, 1952 in Claresholm, Alberta) is a Canadian politician. He currently represents the electoral district of Macleod in the Canadian House of Commons.

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[edit] In opposition

A farmer, Menzies was elected into the Canadian House of Commons as a Conservative in the 2004 federal election in the riding of Macleod. He was elected by over 27,000 votes more than the Liberal candidate, Chris Shade. During the 38th Canadian Parliament he served as the opposition critic for International Cooperation and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the opposition critic for International Trade and Internal Trade.

[edit] Portfolio in Conservative government

After the Conservative victory in the 2006 federal election, he was appointed as parliamentary secretary to Josée Verner, who is presently the Minister for International Cooperation, Minister responsible for Official Languages, and Minister responsible for La Francophonie.

On February 10, 2006, Menzies received some news coverage when it was revealed that despite being the parliamentary secretary responsible for La Francophonie, he did not speak French. His appointment was criticized by New Democrat Yvon Godin (an Acadian).

In his defence, Menzies replied that "we have two official languages in this country. Not just French. Not just English. We have two official languages." He argued that the best means of representing both languages was with a Francophone minister with an Anglophone parliamentary secretary.[1]

It was subsequently specified that he was appointed parliamentary secretary to Josée Verner "exclusively to support the Minister in her foreign aid files only."[1]

On October 10, 2007 Menzies was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance.

[edit] Opposition to McTeague RESP bill

Supported by the three opposition parties, Dan McTeague's private member bill passed through the Commons on March 5, 2008. The bill would give parents substantial tax breaks for saving education money. Under McTeague's bill, taxpayers who deposit $5,000 into a registered education savings plan (RESP) for their children's post-secondary education will earn a $5,000 tax deduction, similar to the deduction allowed for contributions to an RRSP. Under the Conservative savings plan, introduced in Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's February 26, 2008 budget, there is no deduction for annual contributions.[2]

Ted Menzies lashed out at the proposal and suggested Mr. McTeague explain how the government will pay for it.[3] "I'm going to suggest to the senators that this is an uncosted $900-million proposal that the Liberals have put forward," Mr. Menzies said. The paradox of the Tories approaching the Senate wasn't lost on the bill's sponsor, Liberal MP Dan McTeague, who said he was "disappointed but not surprised" that the Conservatives were thinking of stalling the bill in the upper house.[4] However other MP's such as Garth Turner strongly support McTeague's bill and call it “the greatest financial tool in a generation.”[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ New parliamentary secretary to Francophonie can't speak French. CBC. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  2. ^ McTeague's manoeuvre. The Toronto Star. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  3. ^ Marr, Garry. Tories outraged as Liberal RESP bill passes. The National Post. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  4. ^ Brian Laghi, Omar El Akkad. Tories implore Senate to quash RESP bill. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.
  5. ^ Turner, Garth. MP Garth Turner lends support for enhanced family tax break. The Turner Report. Retrieved on 2008-03-10.

[edit] External links

Parliament of Canada
Preceded by
Grant Hill		 Member of Parliament for the district of Macleod
2004 – present		 Incumbent
Languages