Taxation  Speaker, average Canadians need a break, all of them, including single people and single parent families. Our fairness plan will substantially reduce income taxes for middle-class Canadians, including singles. Our child benefit plan is more generous and simplified and is tax free. Unlike the Conservatives' income splitting, it is not aimed only at a small percentage of families that are so rich they can get by on one paycheque.

Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1  They are not the priorities of Canadians. It is important to recognize that under the the current government, middle-class Canadians have had to work longer and harder just to make ends meet. That is not right. We are months away from an election and the budget debate provides us the opportunity to show some contrast.

Consumer Protection  Unlike the Liberals and the NDP, who would raise taxes on middle-class consumers, our government has reduced taxes for middle-class Canadians. Our government has taken action to improve low-cost bank accounts and expand no-cost bank options for more than seven million Canadians. We introduced the debit and credit card code of conduct.

The Economy  New government numbers show that top earners keep getting wealthier, while working and middle-class Canadians fall further behind. The Conservative's income-splitting scheme will only make matters worse, yet the minister seems confused about his own plan. Yesterday at committee he claimed that the scheme would not kick in until next year, but his own budget documents show that he blew $2.4 billion on income splitting this year while actually running a $2 billion dollar deficit.

Finance committee  I'm glad you mentioned advertising these programs, because we all know what the Liberal plan is. It is to take these benefits away from hard-working middle-class Canadians. Their idea is that the less people know about these benefits, the easier it will be to take these away from them. So let me ask you, how can the government make people aware of our family tax cut plan?

Finance committee  As I mentioned earlier, all the benefits of our program helps families. Two-thirds of those benefits are for middle-class Canadians or those with lower incomes. That is the reality.

Pensions  Mr. Speaker, while we are helping middle-class Canadians choose how they spend and save their money, the only solution of the opposition members is to raise taxes. It is true. The Liberal leader said last week “We're looking at an expansion and a mandatory expansion of the CPP of the type that...Kathleen Wynne put forward in Ontario”.

Pensions  For someone who earns $60,000 a year, the Liberal policy is a massive tax hike. While we are letting middle-class Canadians choose how they spend and save their money, the Liberal leader's only solution is raising taxes. A $1,000 tax increase Canadians do not--

Pensions  We believe that Canadians are best placed to decide how to save for their retirement with voluntary options rather than have tax hikes imposed on them. We will always side with hard-working business owners and middle-class Canadians. We will always side with giving Canadians a choice where there is one to be had. When the middle class of this great nation is concerned about the consequences of a high-tax agenda on the economy, that means we are as well.

Business of Supply  We talk a lot about fairness, and it is important to indicate that under the Conservative government, middle-class Canadians have had to work longer and harder just to make ends meet. Liberals believe that is just not right and that the government needs to do more in terms of protecting Canadian consumers.

Business of Supply  From time to time, government changes policy or fiscal strategies to meet the economic needs of the country, to move the country forward in terms of how we address the challenges of the 21st century and the challenges of the world economic system. On this side of the House, we make no apologies for ensuring that middle-class Canadians are aware of the measures that would put more money back in their pockets, including an enhanced universal child care benefit, the family tax cut, and encouraging more Canadians to join the 11 million Canadians who benefit from tax-free savings accounts.

Pensions  A middle-class family with two incomes would be paying thousands of dollars. While we are letting middle-class Canadians choose how they spend and save their money, the Liberal and the New Democrat plans are simply another tax hike.

Pensions  For someone earning $60,000 a year, the Liberal leader's policy is a $1,000 tax hike, $1,000 coming out of their pocket. We are letting middle-class Canadians choose how they spend and save their money. The Liberal leader's only solution is a tax hike.

Pensions  Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal leader announced a payroll tax hike on middle-class Canadians. Can the Minister of State for Finance tell the House the government's position on the mandatory expansion of the Canadian pension plan?

Seniors  Again, for someone who is earning $60,000 a year, that is an extra $1,000 tax hike. While we are letting middle-class Canadians choose how they spend and save their money, Liberals would raise taxes. That is their policy.