September 28, 2010

During the week of October 4-10, Canadians will celebrate National Family Week. As the father of five – and grandfather to three! – I am proud to be part of a government that is continuing to deliver on our commitments to Canadian families.

Since our Conservative Government was elected in 2006, we have cut taxes by more than $3000 for a family of four. For example, our Government:

• Delivered a new child tax credit that is providing up to $310 of tax relief for each child under 18, helping more than 3 million Canadian families;
• Implemented the Universal Child Care Benefit which provides $1200 per child under six; and
• Put in place a new tax credit for families that enroll their kids in sports and other physical activities.

Registered Education Savings Plans have been strengthened, so families can plan better for the future. We also created a Textbook Tax Credit, introduced a tax exemption for elementary and secondary school scholarships, and expanded eligibility for Canada Student Loans to more middle-income families by reducing the amount parents are expected to contribute.

The marriage penalty in the tax system has been removed. In the past, the tax system discriminated against married couples as opposed to unmarried couples living together. We have changed this.

Our Conservative Government is helping young families get a head start on buying their first homes, by providing up to $750 in tax relief.  We’re also providing first-time home buyers with more flexibility to buy or build a home.  They can now withdraw up to $25,000 from RRSP savings to do so, an increase from the previous limit of $20,000.

Our Conservative Government is standing up for military families by extending the eligibility window for EI parental benefits by an additional 52 weeks for Canadian Forces members whose parental leave is disrupted or deferred due to military requirements, so returning soldiers can spend quality time with their children.
 
To protect Canada’s youth, we brought in tough new reforms to help prevent tobacco companies from targeting children with their marketing campaigns and flavoured tobacco products. We introduced legislation to help fight the sexual exploitation of children, by requiring suppliers of Internet services to notify police and safeguard evidence if they believe a child pornography offence has been committed using an Internet service they provide.

All of these measures reflect our Conservative Government’s belief that by making life a little easier for families, we can build a stronger Canada.  I would like to wish my constituents and their families well during National Family Week!