Conservative election promises from the campaign trail so far

As the Oct. 19 federal election approaches, here's a running list of promises made by Conservative Leader Stephen Harpersince thecampaign began Aug. 2.

Oct. 7:Extend parental leave benefits under employment insurance, including extending the length of time mothers and fathers would have their jobs protected to 18 months from the current one year. Give parents the option of stretching EI benefits over 18 months, starting next year. Open a two-year pilot project to allow parents to earn self-employment income while on EI.

Oct. 6:Provide a $1-billion package to help the auto industry cope with the repercussions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Oct. 4:Renew funding for Brain Canada, a non-profit organization devoted to comprehensive neurological research.

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Oct. 1: Create a formal list of criminal gangs, similar to what is done with designated terrorist groups. Put $2.5 million more a year into efforts to steer teens away from gang activity. Enact a law imposing two-year, mandatory minimum sentence for financial fraud over $5,000 with multiple victims, unless the offender pays full restitution.

Sept. 29:Aim to create 700,000 new homeowners by 2020.

Sept. 28:Provide $700 million for light-rail transit in Surrey, B.C.

Sept. 27: Establish new RCMP human trafficking teams inToronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg at an annual cost of $8million for five years. Renew the national plan to combat humantrafficking for five years at a cost of $20 million.

Sept. 26: By 2020, add 665 personnel to Canada's specialoperation forces, which consists of 1,900 members.

Sept. 25: Bring in a "tax lock" law barring increases tofederal personal and business income taxes, sales taxes and"discretionary payroll taxes" such as CPP and EI.

Sept. 23: Re-establish College Militaire Royal as afull-fledged, degree-granting military university. Impose travelbans against people who've already been sanctioned by the Canadiangovernment and expand the list of reasons for implementingsanctions.

Sept. 22: Aim to create 1.3 million net new jobs by 2020.Issueofficial veterans cards as formal proof of service to every memberof the military who completes basic training and is honourablyreleased.

Sept. 20:Create a $100-million manufacturing technologydemonstration fund available to large, pre-commercial projects inthe advanced manufacturing sector.

Sept. 18:Bring in legislation to ensure that criminalssentenced to life are not eligible for parole. Toughen penalties for
drunk drivers. Provide new money for child advocacy centres.

Sept. 15: Bring in a $2,000 tax credit for single seniors tohelp nearly 1.6 million seniors with pension income.

Sept. 11: Commit an additional $10 million over five years tothe Kanishka Project, which was established in 2011 to fund researchinto preventing and countering violent extremism.

Sept. 10: Invest $20 million in the lobster industry over threeyears, including a $15-million partnership with the Lobster Councilof Canada to market and promote lobster abroad, plus $5 million forresearch.

Sept. 8: Raise government contribution when low- andmiddle-income families invest in education savings plans. A familyearning up to $44,000 would get $200 for the first $500 put away fora child's higher education plan each year, while a family earning upto $88,000 would receive $100 on the first $500 each year.

Sept. 7: Increase the maximum annual Canada Disability SavingsGrant for low- and middle-class families to $4,000 from $3,500.

Sept. 6: Create an endowment fund for museums that would matchthe money the institutions raise privately, with a cap of about $15million a year.

Sept. 4:Allot $5 million annually for programs to sustainhabitats that support bird, moose and turkey populations, startingin 2017. Create a family bird-hunting permit and allow the use ofcrossbows for hunting birds. Earmark $9 million over three yearsstarting in 2016 for a tourism program to attract recreationalanglers, hunters and snowmobiles from the U.S. Establish a CanadianForces reserve unit in the Yukon, the first such unit in theterritory since the Yukon Regiment was disbanded in 1968.

Sept. 2: Extend the existing 15percent mineral explorationtax credit first implemented in 2006, and create a new 25percentcredit for hard-to-reach mines.

Sept. 1:Establish a not-for-profit agency in Burlington, Ont.,to help develop new products and technology for manufacturing, witha budget of $30 million a year for five years. Set up a newtrade-promotion office to help attract new business for exporters,paid for by reallocating other government resources.

Aug. 27:Add $40 million over five years for an existingfederal loans program that offers financial support to new Canadianswhile they complete the foreign credential recognition process. Themoney comes on top of $35 million committed to the program in thelast budget.

Aug. 26: Spend $200 million to expandhigh-speedbroadband Internet network across remote and rural areas.

Aug. 25: Support for a new marine terminal in Montreal and anexpanded cruise ship terminal in Quebec City.

Aug. 23: Provide a tax break on membership fees toorganizations such as the Kiwanis, Lions and Royal Canadian Legion.

Aug. 21: An extended partnership with the Pacific SalmonFoundation and $15 million to restore British Columbia estuaries.

Aug. 20:Increase the value of the 15percent non-refundableadoption expense tax credit to $20,000 from $15,000 and make itfully refundable.

Aug. 19:Cut "red tape" for businesses stemming fromlegislation and policy rules in addition to regulations. Better
harmonize child car seat regulations with those of the United Statesto provide more choice and better prices. Simplify the calculationof home-office expense deductions.

Aug. 18: Resurrect the "life means life" legislation thatdied in the Commons when the election was called. The bill wouldmean that those who commit the most heinous murders or high treasonwould spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

Aug. 17: Add 6,000 people to the ranks of the Canadian Forcesreserves at a cost of $163 million over three years and $63.4million going forward once the target of 30,000 personnel isreached.

Aug. 15: Improve the earnings loss benefit for veterans withservice-related disabilities or injuries by letting them earn up to$10,000 in outside work, without losing any government funding.

Aug. 14: Spend $14 million to pave a stretch of a scenichighway between Fort Smith and Hay River in the Northwest
Territories.

Aug. 12: Raise to $35,000 the amount that first-time homebuyerscan withdraw tax free from RRSPs to finance a home purchase. Trackthe impact of home purchases by foreign, non-residents to ensurethis doesn't skew the market against Canadian buyers.

Aug. 11: Another $4.5 million a year, on top of the $22 millioncurrently budgeted, for an RCMP team designed to crack down onillegal drug labs and marijuana grow-ops. Allot $500,000 a year overfour years on a national toll-free hotline for parents to call toget information about drug use among youth.

Aug. 10: Bring 10,000 additional refugees from Syria and Iraq.Spend $9 million over three years to help the Office of ReligiousFreedom protect places of worship and religious artifacts targetedby the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Aug. 9: Expand federal laws that make it a crime for Canadiansto head overseas to fight alongside groups officially identified bythe federal government as a terrorist organization. Essentially itwould declare certain areas no-travel zones for most Canadians, withexceptions for journalists and humanitarian workers.

Aug. 4: A permanent home-renovation tax credit an update tothe temporary credit introduced in 2009 costing $1.5 billion ayear, but contingent on a stronger economy. Applies to $5,000 worthof renovation costs, down from $10,000 in 2009.

Aug. 3:Increase the apprenticeship job creation tax credit,first introduced in 2006 to create incentives to foster skilledtrades, to a maximum of $2,500, up from $2,000, and extend it toinclude the third and fourth years of eligible training.