On Parliament Hill

A New York Times study recently showed that middle incomes in Canada have surpassed those in the United States for the first time, putting Canadian median incomes higher than any of the other countries surveyed.

The research, based on the well-respected Luxembourg Income Study Database, shows that median per capita income in Canada rose by nearly 20 per cent between 2000 and 2010, while incomes in many other countries barely changed over that period.

Under our Conservative government, the typical family is now paying $3,400 less in taxes than they did before we took office. Nearly 1.1 million new jobs have been created, and our economy continues to grow at a pace that is the envy of countries around the world.

Our Government has brought forward the following measures to benefit Canadian families, which both the Liberals and NDP voted against:

• Reducing the GST from 7% to 5 – more than $1,000 back in the pockets of an average family
• Pension income splitting for seniors
• Increasing the amount Canadians can earn without paying tax
• Enhancing the Working Income Tax Benefit
• Tax Free Savings Account – the most important personal savings vehicle since RRSPs
• Increasing the Age Credit and the Pension Income Credit
• Universal Child Care Benefit
• Family Caregiver Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Children’s Fitness Tax Credit
• Children’s Arts Tax Credit
• First-Time Donor’s Tax Credit
• Registered Disability Savings Plan

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canadian families in all income groups have seen increases of about 10 per cent or more in their take-home pay since 2006. Canadians’ wealth has also increased dramatically, with the median net worth of Canadian families increasing by 45 per cent since 2005 and by almost 80 per cent from 1999. This increase has been led by the middle class.

Canada also currently has one of lowest poverty rates among seniors in the world.

This study confirms that our Conservative Government’s low-tax plan for jobs and growth is working and the strength of our economy continues to be the envy of countries around the world.