Madam Speaker, it is just astounding for me to hear the word discriminatory from the member opposite. This is not a discriminatory budget at all. In fact the budget is absolutely wonderful for every citizen of Canada. It is so obvious that members opposite do not understand what is in the budget. Otherwise they would not be saying these things.
Let us talk about single taxpayers earning $20,000 or less. Their taxes will be reduced by at least 10%. The typical one earner family with two children and an income of $30,000 or less will pay no net federal income tax. Families with incomes of $45,000 or less will have their taxes reduced by a minimum of 10% and in some cases more depending on the specific situation.
It is easy to pull out numbers. I do not know where those numbers come from, but I do know the accuracy of numbers that talk about us being in a situation where we can give tax relief. I do know that the government pays attention to children with some needs and that $300 million extra are going into the child tax benefit. These are very direct federal government contributions where there are specific needs.
Tax relief for low and middle income Canadians is the top priority of the government. Broad based tax relief should focus first on personal income tax. That is what members saw. They did not see a budget filled with corporate or business tax relief. What they saw was down to the individual Canadian who has worked hard to deliver the country to the place where we are today where we can bring in these measures.
In my home town we have a medical community, a research community. The people in my riding of London West are incredibly grateful for the future orientation of the people and the priorities of the government. I think of what that will mean in the health of the nation. The budget will affect the health of the nation and every family, no matter what income level, for years to come.
When we put money in research we are showing forethought. I am getting faxes from people in my riding, researchers, people who have perhaps not corresponded with the political network ever before, saying thanks for the budget. This is important to understand.
I am wondering how much into the future they are looking, or whether members of the Reform Party are only interested in some long ago world which unfortunately in families, and the diversity of families in the country, does not exist in that format. There is choice here. We are talking about current day Canadians and a society that is good. What century does the hon. member plan for?