This is a longstanding problem in Canada. We have a lot of different programs that are meant to address poverty in this country, but as people's incomes rise these programs are clawed back. There gets to be a point in a person's income where you're seeing a clawback of up to 80ยข on the dollar for people who are working and trying to improve their lives. This is obviously something that really does affect a person's behaviour. We know that incentives matter in economics. The working income tax benefit is designed to lower that effective clawback, the high tax margin for people earning as little as $30,000.
Minister Flaherty put this in place, along with another element that will help the disabled community. Again, we want to make sure that we take advantage of the extraordinarily hot labour markets and help disabled Canadians get into the workforce in much bigger numbers. They have very high levels of unemployment, but they have great potential and skills. We need to make sure they are rewarded and that their benefits aren't all clawed back, making it unattractive for them to stay attached in the workforce.