Madam Speaker, I too am delighted to rise in support of the motion of my Liberal colleague, the member for Nepean.
The motion states:
That, in the opinion of this House, the government should amend the Income Tax Act so that child support payments are no longer considered taxable income for their recipients.
We heard a lot of presentations earlier and I agree that the motion raises the issue of fairness. Is it fair to tax support payments earmarked for children? In that question is inherent as well the question are we committed to the children of our country, the children who are the future resource that will help build our nation even stronger, the children who cannot vote but nevertheless who need our help? We have a duty and an obligation to support them.
As well, this motion is a commitment to single parents and our commitment to eliminate poverty in this nation as this House did on November 24, 1989, unanimously adopted. In conclusion, I would like to state that we have an obligation to our nation's children, to support them and make child support payments no longer taxable in the hands of the recipients.