Thank you very much.
I'll start and discuss clauses 117 to 121 of part 4, division 6.
By way of context, I'd like to note the following. Canadians use registered education savings plans, RESPs, to save for a child's post-secondary education. RESPs grow tax-free until they're withdrawn to pay for full-time or part-time education at a community college, university, CEGEP, trade school, or apprenticeship program. The Government of Canada offers two different education savings incentives. The Canada education savings grant is available to all Canadians and is based on contributions. In addition, low- and middle-income Canadians get an additional 10% or 20% based on contributions. For the Canada learning bond, which is available for low-income Canadians, no personal contributions are required.
Under the current legislation, requests for the Canada learning bond and the additional amount of the Canada education savings grant, submitted by anyone other than the primary caregiver—the person principally responsible for the care of the child—are declined. So the Canada Education Savings Act, which governs the administration of these education savings incentives, is being amended to permit the primary caregiver's co-habiting spouse or common law partner to apply for the Canada learning bond and the additional amount of the grant on the child's behalf.
It is anticipated that by allowing the spouse or the common law partner of the primary caregiver to also apply for these education savings incentives on behalf of the beneficiary, fewer education savings incentives requests will be declined, and there will be a resulting increase in the take-up of the Canada learning bond. It should be noted that the eligibility requirements for the Canada learning bond and the additional amount of the Canada education savings grants are not being changed.