The DSA is committed to bringing persuasive information to all levels of government, actively shaping policy:

FEDERAL:
Government of Canada Takes Action to Limit the Employment Insurance Premium Increase for 2011 to Five Cents
(September 30, 2010) The government announced it will be scaling back planned increases in EI premiums.  For 2011, EI premiums will rise 5 cents per $100 in insurable earnings for employees and 7 cents for employers instead of the maximum 15 cents and 21 cents respectively, which had been proposed.  For 2012, premiums will be increased by 10 cents per $100 in insurable earnings for employees and 14 cents for employers.  These changes will save Canadian businesses over $640 million in 2011 and $320 million in 2012.
 
The increased rates (employee portion only) will also apply to the new Self Employed EI benefit program announced by the government earlier this year (insert link on DSA web page). 
 
The DSA applauds the government for listening to Canadian individuals and businesses on the potential negative impact that the originally proposed rate increases may have had on the Canadian economy by smoothing out the premium increases.

Click here for the complete story.

New Employment Insurance Special Benefits for the Self-Employed
(November 2009)  The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, introduced the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act in the House of Commons.  The legislation proposed to extend Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits, including maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, to the self employed.  Click here for the complete story.


GST and direct selling — The House of Commons was very receptive to our annual pre-budget submission and, based on our recommendations, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance asked for follow-up action on the GST Direct Selling Mechanism to expand it to all direct selling companies.

Pre-Budget Submissions:

GST and dietary beverages — DSA took an active stand when Canada Customs and Revenue Agency changed GST rules for dietary supplement beverages. This has since led to periodic meetings with CRA officials on other industry-related issues.

Regulations for nutraceuticals — The Association also participated in public and private consultations with Health Canada officials as the federal government drafts regulations governing natural health products, submitting a substantial report on the impact on the direct selling industry.

Cross-border transactions — The DSA advised the federal-provincial Consumer Measures Committee on how jurisdiction should be determined in cross-border business-to-consumer transactions.


PROVINCIAL:
Ontario Ministry of the Environment - Waste Diversion Act
- Waste Diversion Act Review
- Briefing Notes from February 13, 2009 meeting with the MOE
- Briefing Notes from March 16, 2010 meeting with the MOE


MUNICIPAL:
Home business bylaws — Winnipeg's elected officials heard our concerns — and solutions — for home business licensing, the high cost for independents to do business, the predictable decline in direct selling, and effects on its economy. Our recommendations to ease the bylaws' negative impacts have, we have reason to hope, motivated the City to resolve this. (We allocated considerable resources to this study because of its potential ripple effect in other Canadian municipalities.)