Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. I do not find it partisan at all. It is a completely impartial question.
The throne speech contained nothing for women or for single parent families which, as we know, are primarily headed by women. There also was nothing in it for children.
However, the increase in the basic personal exemption announced in the mini-budget, that the Conservatives finally decided to restore to the level set by the former Liberal government, does help a little, although not very much.
According to this mini-budget, the lowest tax rate—15% when the Conservatives were elected and then increased to 15.5%—will now be returned to 15% by the Conservatives. That will result in small savings for families and higher-income earners, and it may be that some families or individuals will no longer have to pay federal tax. However, I cannot venture anything about provincial taxes.
Clearly, the 1% reduction in GST is of no help at all to poor or working families.