Message from the Minister

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) makes a difference in the lives of Canadians every day. We do this by providing a strong, equitable, and responsive tax system that has become the cornerstone of our country’s prosperity and the foundation of our social structure.

This year, the CRA celebrates 10 years as a government agency, a period marked by innovation and continuous improvement in services to Canadians and businesses.

I am proud of the tremendous collaboration demonstrated by the CRA and Finance Canada, who together worked with financial institutions across the country on the recent launch of the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), the most important tax innovation in a generation.

We are providing excellence in program delivery by working to ensure that Canadians pay their fair share of taxes on behalf of federal, provincial, and territorial governments. In particular, our compliance work includes actions to counter aggressive tax planning, that is, arrangements that cross the boundary of acceptable tax planning.

The CRA is working to encourage Canadian business and the Canadian economy. We are reducing the paperwork burden that impacts business profitability and productivity. This is an important effort, especially in these difficult economic times.

As the administrator of the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) investment tax credit, which is considered one of the best incentives for research and development in the world, the CRA is contributing to Canada’s international business competitiveness. In addition to providing more than $4 billion in tax credits to over 18,000 claimants, we are strengthening our administrative resources to increase SR&ED accessibility to more Canadian businesses.

The steps we are taking to assist individual Canadians and businesses will help maintain the high level of confidence that Canadians have in the CRA. As we move into our second decade as an agency, we will continue to improve our services and respond to the diverse needs of taxpayers and benefit recipients.

It is my privilege and honour to table the Canada Revenue Agency Annual Report to Parliament 2008-2009.

The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, P.C., M.P.
Minister of National Revenue and
Minister of State (Agriculture and Agri-Food)

Date modified:

2009-11-05