Employment  Income taxes are down by 10% and after-tax incomes are up by 10%. In fact, they are up by 14% for the lowest-income families. We have lowered taxes by $3,400 for the average family of four, we have balanced the budget, and we have the lowest debt by far as a share of our economy of any of the G7 economies. We are going to continue with our economic action plan because it is working.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the member is talking about numbers. He is talking about giving $3,400 to families. That is great, but what he is not telling Canadians is that the Conservatives have so many fees. They have reduced transfer payments for our health care. Not only that, and I talked about this in my speech, they have left Canadians with $176 billion in debt.

Business of Supply  The federal tax burden is at the lowest it has been in 50 years. Our government has cut taxes 180 times, saving close to $3,400 a year for an average Canadian family of four. These tax reductions give parents greater flexibility to make the choices that are right for them and help build a solid foundation for future economic growth, more jobs, and a higher standard of living for themselves and their children.

Business of Supply  Even proportionately, middle-class families and people living in poverty are the ones who have benefited from our tax cuts. Lowering taxes will give the average family approximately $3,400. Let us talk about job creators: companies. We are lowering their employment insurance premiums. The New Democrats and the Liberals want to create a 45-day work year, where someone could receive employment insurance benefits for an entire year after working for 45 days.

Business of Supply  Remember, under our government, the tax burden on Canadians is now at its lowest level in over 50 years, its lowest level since John Diefenbaker was prime minister of this nation. On average, Canadian families are paying $3,400 less in federal taxes each year than they were under the Liberal Party before 2006. In addition, every family with children in Canada stands to benefit from a range of tax breaks we are putting in place this year.

Employment  Speaker, we have a real plan. It is called the low-tax plan for jobs and growth. It has put $3,400, on average, into the pockets of the average Canadian family. The Liberal Party has a one-point plan for the middle class: raise taxes. We oppose the high-tax plan of the Liberals. We are not surprised they would have one, because their leader believes that budgets simply balance themselves.

Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 2  Adding all the various tax reductions we have introduced since 2006, the average family of four pays $3,400 less in taxes each and every year. Our strong economic performance has come without increasing the deficit. In fact, we have progressively been reducing the deficit and the size and cost of government.

Taxation  For the first time, middle-income Canadians are better off than Americans. The average Canadian family pays nearly $3,400 less in taxes, and now every family with children in Canada will stand to benefit from our latest tax breaks, including the increase and the expansion of the universal child care benefit and the new family tax cut.

Opposition Motion—Job Creation  We have lowered taxes 150 times since taking government in 2006, resulting in the average Canadian family of four saving $3,400 in taxes. That is more money in their pocket that they can spend on what they consider to be most important for them. These are hard-working Canadian families. I remember that when I was a small kid, my dad had a small business.

Government of Canada  We have cut taxes more than 160 times, reducing the federal tax burden to its lowest level in 50 years and saving the average family $3,400; supported families with children, including the universal child care benefit, the child tax credit, and the children's fitness tax credit; provided $2.8 billion for seniors and pensioners in annual tax relief, and $5.8 billion this year for B.C. health care and social services.

Taxation  Speaker, under our Conservative government, the tax burden on Canadians is at its lowest level in more than 50 years. On average, Canadian families are paying $3,400 less in taxes each year than they did under the Liberals. In addition, every family with children in Canada will stand to benefit from the latest tax breaks, including the increase and expansion of the universal child care benefit to nearly $2,000 per year for every child under six and $720 per year for every child between the ages of six and 17.

Business of Supply  It is important to recognize that, for the first time, middle-income Canadians are better off than Americans. The average Canadian family now pays $3,400 less in taxes. Since we took office, the median net worth of Canadian families has increased by 45%. A new report from the Commission on Inclusive Prosperity says “...Canada...experienced continuing middle-income growth, while for many it has halted”.

Business of Supply  We have cut taxes in every way government collects them, including personal, consumption, business, and excise taxes, et cetera, and the result is a total annual saving for a typical family of around $3,400. We have also removed over one million low-income Canadians completely from the tax rolls, and the overall federal tax burden has not been this low in more than half a century. Given the ongoing uncertainty in the global economic environment, it is more important than ever to stay the course.

Business of Supply  As I mentioned during my speech, 180 times we have reduced taxes for the average family, saving each of them over $3,400 in tax. We have reduced the taxes on businesses. The NDP has indicated that it would raise those taxes, which is very contradictory to what its leader said today. When we look at the records and plans of our government, we see there is certainly no question which one would create the most opportunities, continue the lowest taxes, and not adopt the risky spending schemes proposed by the NDP, and not return to the huge deficits and debt that there would be with the NDP, without question.

Business of Supply  Speaker, we recognize that costs are going up, which is precisely the reason we are putting money back in the pockets of Canadian families. In fact, we put over $3,400 back in Canadians' pockets this year alone. We are proud of our low-tax plan to create jobs and long-term prosperity. We are proud of the fact that the Canadian middle class is doing better now than it ever has in Canadian history.