Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1  It seems to me that this government is doing whatever it takes to eliminate jobs with excellent working conditions, and even precarious jobs—because middle-class Canadians are having a hard time making ends meet—in order to create a class of accessible jobs. Is the goal here to help the multinationals that want to come and take over our huge country, or to support the multinationals that are already here, who seem to be in bed with the Conservatives?

Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1  Therefore, why does the Conservative member not actually admit that his government would increase taxes on middle-class Canadians, not reduce them?

Telecommunications  He had a chance to increase competition and expand rural coverage through this fall's spectrum auction, but he failed to do so. Why should middle-class Canadians have to pay higher cellphone bills because of his incompetence?

Taxation  Oh, but wait, that is what the Conservative Minister of Finance has just done. Who really designed these tax hikes for small businesses that will be hurting middle-class Canadians?

Taxation  Speaker, hidden new Conservative taxes on small businesses, $550 million every year, hurting the middle class; hidden new Conservative payroll taxes, $600 million every year, hurting the middle class; hidden new Conservative tariff taxes on everything from school supplies to the kitchen sink, $333 million every year, hurting the middle class. Why is the government nailing middle-class Canadians with more than $1.5 billion in hidden new Conservative taxes every single year?

The Economy  Speaker, the Prime Minister's answers yesterday clearly demonstrated just how out of touch he is with the needs of middle-class Canadians. Not only does he not have a plan, but he does not even understand that Canada needs a plan. Median household incomes have flatlined. The only thing rising faster than the cost of education and child care is personal debt.

The Economy  Over the last 30 years, while our economy has more than doubled in size, median household income has only risen 13%. Middle-class Canadians have not had a real raise in more than a generation. How can the government fail to see this is a problem?

Government Programs  In light of these massive cuts, how can the government possibly pretend that is just cleaning up some backroom operations, when everybody knows that what it is doing is delivering big cuts in public services to middle-class Canadians?

Government Services  With no less than 35 program activities being cut by more than 50%, how can they possibly claim that 70% is due to operational efficiencies, when the real problem is massive cuts to the services key to middle-class Canadians?

Fisheries and Oceans  Speaker, in a letter to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Conservative Senator Stephen Greene called fleet separation immoral, one of the worst policies in Canadian history, and said that it was responsible for the culture of dependence in Atlantic Canada. Fleet separation keeps tens of thousands of middle-class Canadians employed in the fishery and creates economic activity throughout our coastal communities. Will the Prime Minister condemn this senator's shameful attack on the Atlantic inshore fishery, or is this the real agenda of the Conservative government down the road?

Employment  Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadian families have always known that summer job opportunities provided financial support and work experience to young Canadians. We know that five years ago the Conservative government wanted to cut that program out totally.

Employment  Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadian youth depend on the summer jobs program to get work experience and to help pay for school. In these tough economic times students need more help, not less. I ask again, how is the government going to create at least as many job opportunities this summer as the program offered seven years ago, before the recession hit?

Taxation  Sports-related injuries ruin lives and cost the health care system $100 million a year. Why will the Conservatives not cancel these punitive taxes on middle-class Canadians?

Taxation  They boastfully leaked information, pre-budget, to divert attention from sporting equipment and baby clothes, but then they increased—repeat, increased—tariff taxes on baby carriages, hockey helmets, school supplies and wigs for cancer patients. Why should cancer patients be punished with a new 15% Conservative tax? Why are middle-class Canadians—not foreigners, Canadians—being hit with tariff tax increases of more than $300 million every year?

Business of Supply  As our leader said the other day on the budget, the increasing of tariffs on something like 1300 items is going to cost middle-class Canadians more. Maybe the member who raised the question is not concerned about the families that buy those little red wagons for their children, but it is going to cost them more. Maybe the member is not concerned about the people who go out and buy bicycles that are going to cost them more.