Mr. Speaker, just as high government debt and deficits distort decisions in financial markets, so tax and spend policies distort family decisions.
Monday's CTV poll demonstrates that 3 million Canadian families would rather have one parent stay at home with the children but cannot afford to do it.
This year families will have to pay 48 per cent of their income in taxes and so their lifestyle decisions are effectively dictated by the state.
Unfortunately, governments are then forced to become more and more interventionist by giving selective tax breaks and running expensive national programs. What parents really want are the resources to do good parenting jobs themselves.
By easing tax burdens on all Canadians, Reformers would increase lifestyle options within all families. Reform would empower parents to make employment arrangements according to their preference; free to work outside their residence or free to work at home with their own children.