Business of Supply  He did not mention the $200 billion that went back to taxpayers over a five-year period in the fall fiscal update of 2007, which dropped corporate taxes down from 22% to 15%, dropped small business taxes down from 12% to 11% and dropped personal taxes. What did that do? It gave every Canadian in this country tax freedom day 20 days earlier. That is the reality of what happened. What did that do? It prepared us for the onslaught of what was happening in a global economic slowdown. We are not just playing games with this motion today.

Business of Supply  Because of our tax cuts, such as raising the basic personal exemption and the ceiling on the lower and middle income tax brackets, little wonder on June 6 of this year Canadians celebrated tax freedom day three days earlier than last year and 19 days earlier than under the former Liberal government. It means more than 3,500 businesses across Canada have entered into an expanded EI work sharing program helping almost 130,000 employees, employees like the nearly 100 workers at the Michelin Canada plant in Waterville, Nova Scotia, where the plant has continued to operate under an EI work sharing program.

Taxation  Speaker, I thank the member for Kitchener—Conestoga for his hard work in helping the government reduce taxes. It is because of this government's work and after three balanced budgets that Tax Freedom Day is coming earlier. I know the Liberals do not want to hear this. This Saturday, June 14, we celebrate Tax Freedom Day, four days earlier than last year. That is 11 days earlier than the last full year that the Liberals were in power.

Finance committee  At the same time, tax relief creates a long-term advantage for sustained economic and employment growth. I'm very pleased to discover that according to the Fraser Institute, tax freedom day occurred three days earlier this year than it did in 2008. When combined with the measures announced in Canada's economic action plan, since 2006 taxes on individuals, families, and businesses will have been reduced by an estimated $220 billion over 2008-09 and the following five fiscal years.

CBC/Radio-Canada  Our government has put stable funding behind the CBC, more funding than the Liberal Party ever provided. Tax Freedom Day came 19 days earlier this year thanks to our Conservative government. We will not follow a Liberal example.

Employment Insurance Act  We reduced taxes on Canadians by over $200 billion to reduce the burden that families and small businesses bear. This past week we learned that under our Conservative government tax freedom day for Canadians now comes 19 days earlier than it did under previous Liberal governments. We have also provided the Bank of Canada with additional powers to respond to recessionary times and introduced even greater accountability and liquidity into our banking system.

Infrastructure  He must forget that we put in place tax reductions for Canadians. If the member had been here last Friday, he would have heard that we have moved tax freedom day forward 19 days from where it was under the former Liberal government.

Rail Transportation  It is an incredible move, and we are getting it done 10 times faster than any Liberal government ever did. I would also like to point out that tax freedom day is actually 19 days earlier for those Canadians who are paying taxes. It is great news for Canadians all the way around.

Taxation  We have removed a million Canadians entirely from the tax rolls. We have helped them get prepared for this economic recession. We have moved tax freedom day forward nearly 20 days since the Liberal government.

Employment Insurance  What is absolutely essential is that Canadians know that the Liberals want to raise taxes. Tax freedom day comes two weeks earlier since this Prime Minister took office. The member for Wascana and the Liberals want to turn the clock back and go deeper into Canadians' pockets. That will kill jobs and hurt Canadian taxpayers.

Business of Supply  Families and individuals want to work for themselves, not government, and they appreciate our actions to lower their tax bill. How so? As a Winnipeg Free Press editorial noted: Tax Freedom Day this year [referring to 2008] arrived four days earlier than last year and the trend over the last few years has been positive as a result of cuts in personal income taxes and reductions in the GST.

Employment  The leader of the Liberal Party and his entire caucus voted for this budget, I would remind him. Let us look at Tax Freedom Day. In 2005, the last year the Liberals were in power, it took place on June 26. In 2008, just last year, after three years of Conservative government, it went to June 14. That is real leadership.

Tax Freedom Day  Mr. Speaker, today is Tax Freedom Day, the day when the average Canadian family has earned enough money to pay all of the taxes levied on it by the three levels of government. This year, Tax Freedom Day is arriving four days earlier than in 2005 and 2006 thanks to our government delivering on our promise to reduce the GST by 1%.

Address in Reply  Among the accomplishments of our Conservative budget: the marriage penalty, out of the tax system; income splitting for seniors, a truly great initiative; the lifetime capital gains exemption for farmers and small business owners, up; and taxes for families with children, down. Tax freedom day is the day that Canadians stop working to pay taxes and start working for themselves and their families. Because of our budgets, tax freedom day arrived four days earlier this year and it will be earlier again next year.

Carbon Tax Proposal  It should be noted that the member for Scarborough—Guildwood called the motion “stupid” and the member for Markham—Unionville remarked that he would not say that no Canadian would be unharmed by the Liberal leader's tax on everything. Tax Freedom Day came early this year; 11 days earlier than under the previous Liberal government. I can say with certainty to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, as well as their many members from across Canada, that this government and this finance minister will not be introducing a punitive, job killing carbon tax.