Mr. Speaker, I would like first to thank my hon. colleague for his interest in the budget, and also for his great work on the finance committee.
In electing a new government, millions of Canadians signalled their desire for change. Our government was elected in part because we took that desire seriously. We offered Canadians an ambitious new plan for a strong middle class and promised that we would do all we could to help every Canadian succeed.
Budget 2016 is an important part of fulfilling that promise. It offers immediate help to those who need it most, and lays the groundwork for sustained, inclusive economic growth that will benefit Canada's middle class and those working hard to join it.
In particular, this budget is about Canadian families. We have with met them, we have heard their stories, and we share their concerns. This budget is about the things that matter most to them.
For generations, Canadians have worked hard, secure in the belief that their hard work would be rewarded. They trusted that in exchange for their honest efforts, they would realize greater opportunities for themselves and for their families. This sense of optimism, paired with government policies that strengthened the middle class, help to make Canada the country it is today.
In recent years, however, the benefits of economic growth have been shared by fewer and fewer Canadians. Although household costs continue to rise, the income of most families has barely risen over the past 30 years, making it harder to make ends meet. Some families have responded to this pressure by taking on more debt. However, the more a family owes, the more difficult it is for it to save for the future. As the ability to pay for the their kids' education, their aging parents' care, and for their own retirement diminishes, Canadians are questioning whether the promise of Canadian progress has passed.
However, this is not true for all Canadians. Members of Canada's wealthiest 0.01% have seen their incomes more than double over the past 30 years. The net result is that even though there has been economic growth over the past three decades, too often the benefits have been felt only by already wealthy Canadians, while the middle class and those working hard to join it continue to struggle.
The need for more inclusive growth is not new. It has long been understood that a strong economy starts with a strong middle class. When middle-class Canadians have more money to save, invest and grow the economy, everyone benefits. With budget 2016, our government seeks to help more Canadians, and restore Canadians' confidence in a brighter, more prosperous future.
To do that, budget 2016 focuses on growth not austerity. It includes measures that will grow the economy for the benefit of every Canadian. By making smart investments now, we can help strengthen and expand the middle class, reduce inequality among Canadians, and position Canada for sustained economic growth in the years to come. Of course, the decisions we make cannot be made in isolation. Here at home and across the world, dramatic shifts are taking place that represent both challenges to, and opportunities for, the Canadian economy.
Managing Canada's ongoing demographic shift means that we must do more to invest in young Canadians, in post-secondary education, and in training and innovation. Global shifts in trade will allow us to strengthen economic ties with other regions and countries, but may make us more vulnerable to external economic shocks.
Finally, shifts in technology toward cleaner economies and more digitally connected ones cannot be ignored. Canada can either take advantage of these opportunities or be left behind.
We have listened to Canadians. That is why budget 2016 answers two issues: helping Canadians and their families, and growing the economy. This answers the needs of Canadian families.