Thank you very much.
During the various committee meetings on Bill C-2, I have quite frequently brought up the change in the tax rate and its potential effectiveness in reducing inequalities or stimulating the economy. To me it is clear that all of the presentations we have heard on this show that the tax cut for the so-called middle class introduced by the government is probably the least effective measure among those that were presented or promised by the government, despite the fact that this is a key measure.
If we really want to reduce the tax paid by the middle class through an amendment that would still fit into the framework and the mandate of the bill, we could amend this proposal; rather than reducing the tax rate of the second bracket from 22.5% to 20% as proposed in the bill, a measure that would cost about the same would be reducing the first tax bracket from 15% to 14% for all incomes of over $12,000, rather than targeting incomes above $45,000.
That is the proposal we have made. I won't debate it any further, because I think I have had ample opportunity to do so in the work of the committee. I sincerely hope that the government, if it really wants to give the middle class a break, will allow all of the middle class to benefit, and not only a certain number of them by including incomes that are far superior to what can be defined as middle class, such as incomes of $200,000 to $217,000.
Thank you.