Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  That enables those who would be investing literally billions and billions of dollars in our country to have some confidence that the fiscal management of our nation is in good hands. The final point I want to make is with respect to many middle-class Canadians feeling they are working a lot harder. This speaks to an alienation that we have seen reflected in other countries, but we are not immune from it. It is the distribution of the wealth in our country.

Natural Resources  They include companies like Suncor, Enbridge, and Shell. They know that pricing pollution will bring new jobs and economic growth for middle-class Canadians.

Canada Pension Plan  I know my constituents are not the only Canadians who have such concerns. All across the country, middle-class Canadians are working harder than ever, yet they are deeply concerned that they do not have enough money saved for a stable retirement. More than one-quarter of Canadian families are nearing retirement and each year fewer and fewer Canadians have workplace pensions to fall back on.

Ethics  Speaker, the member knows very well that this government engages and speaks to Canadians and that we welcome any perspectives because, as our Prime Minister says, we are here to serve Canadians and to ensure that this government is working hard for middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join it. All members of Parliament, in all parties, fundraise and all abide by the exact same rules. When the rules are followed, no conflicts of interest can exist.

Ethics  I appreciate the member taking a moment to want to talk about Canadians and wanting to talk about what we have delivered on. The government has delivered on lowering taxes for middle-class Canadians. The government has delivered on the Canada child benefit by giving more money to Canadian families that need it the most. The government has made the historic commitment to reform and to modernize the Canada pension plan, something that Canadians have asked for and something that we will deliver on.

Finance  That is why we made infrastructure investments. That is why we cut taxes for more than nine million middle-class Canadians. That is why we created the Canada child benefit, which is helping nine out of ten families. Making these investments for the middle class is very important, and that is what we will keep doing.

Business of Supply  This is why we did things like raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% and lowered them for the middle class. Canadians wanted these things. There is no preferential access to this government. This government is demonstrating the most open and transparent approach, not just in following the rules but in being more engaged with Canadians than any previous government.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  It is all in the red. A balanced budget is a concept that no longer exists. That is worrisome. Middle-class Canadians know that they cannot live beyond their means forever. When a family buys a house that costs more than they can afford and then stops making payments, the bank will eventually foreclose.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  We know the middle class is the backbone of Canada. If the middle class is strong, Canada is strong. When middle-class Canadians have more money to save, invest and spend, everyone benefits. The budget implementation act 2016, No. 2 complies with the implementation of the outstanding measures we introduced in budget 2016.

Business of Supply  It would take an important first step in our plan to grow Canada's economy and provide Canadians with a sense of hope and optimism, and it would answer the call of millions of Canadians who told us, both before the budget and after, that they want real change. The general economic situation in our country can be assessed by how middle-class Canadians are doing. Canadians have long believed that with a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, they can give their children a brighter future. However, the reality is that while our economy is still growing, middle-class Canadians are having difficulties.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  It set an ambitious long-term approach for growth by strengthening the heart of Canada's consumer-driven economy, the middle class. 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. A strengthened middle class means that hard-working Canadians can look forward to a good standard of living and better prospects for their children.

Employment  Canadians knew that the last decade of low growth meant that we needed to take a different tack, a tack that improves the lives of middle-class Canadians today, a tack that means we are going to have a better future tomorrow. We are going to make responsible investments that are going to make a real difference for our children and our grandchildren.

Finance committee  In budget 2016, as you'll remember, we made a significant effort to improve the lives of middle-class Canadians. Those efforts are just starting to fold into the economy. The Canada child benefit, which is having a big impact on Canadian families, came into the economy on July 20. The infrastructure funding, the $14 billion we committed to in the March budget....

Finance committee  We know that Canadians voted for us because they want to see a higher level of growth in the future than they saw over the last decade, and that's what we're working to engineer. We're working to make a better Canada for middle-class Canadians and those who want to see a better future for their children.

Finance committee  However, in our 2016 budget, we have already taken our first step toward helping Canadian families. That step was very important. Given their concerns, middle-class Canadians need to understand how growth will be positive for their families. That is why we decided to lower taxes on the middle class and create the Canada Child Benefit. In that way, people will be able to imagine a better future for their families than has been possible over the last ten years.