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Giving everyone a fair shot
October 06, 2008
Conservatives protecting, improving Universal Child Care Benefit Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that a re-elected Conservative Government will take further steps to provide relief for Canadian parents in uncertain global economic times. “As a parent, I do appreciate the financial challenges involved in raising children,” the Prime Minister said. “And, of course, I do understand that these challenges are even greater for the more than one million Canadian single parents who struggle on low incomes.” True to its commitment in the 2006 federal election campaign, the Conservative Party gave child care choice to Canadian parents through the Universal Child Care Benefit, a direct payment of $100 per month for each child under six. A re-elected Conservative Government will:
Enhancing the Universal Child Care Benefit is another component of the Conservatives’ realistic plan to manage the economy. The plan includes keeping the budget balanced, lower taxes, keeping inflation low and investments to ensure we continue to create jobs. Giving a break to parents supports the second principle of the plan: lower taxes. “It is not enough to talk about wanting to help Canadian families; you need an achievable, believable plan to actually do it,” Prime Minister Harper said. Between now and October 14, Canadians will choose between the Conservative’s real plan to protect the Canadian economy amid global uncertainty, and an opposition with no plan and with policies that will take our economy in the wrong direction.
Backgrounder MORE HELP FOR PARENTS: INDEXING THE CHILD CARE BENEFIT TO INFLATION Conservatives protecting, improving Universal Child Care Benefit The Issue Since 2006 the Conservative Government has introduced tax relief and practical benefits that have improved the lives of average Canadian families across the country. We cut the GST, the most hated tax in Canadian history, from seven per cent to six per cent to five per cent. We gave child care choice to parents through the Universal Child Care Benefit, a direct payment of $100 per month for each child under six. We created a brand new $2,000 per child tax credit, for children under 18 that will help families to get ahead. We also created important tax credits for transit passes, tools, textbooks and kids’ sports. In fact, thanks to these economic measures, the average working family in Canada is saving more than three thousand dollars per year in federal taxes since we took office. A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will continue making families better off. This includes benefits for all families, and also targeted benefits for families that need it the most, such as the 1.3 million single-parent families in Canada, of which 21 per cent are low-income families.[1][1] The Plan A re-elected Conservative Government led by Stephen Harper will:
The Choice The Liberals opposed the Universal Child Care Benefit – just like they opposed the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit and cutting the GST. And they insulted parents by claiming the money would be wasted on “beer and popcorn”. They voted against the Universal Child Care Benefit in Parliament, and have repeatedly threatened to cancel it. A re-elected Conservative Government will continue to deliver practical benefits to Canadian families.
Backgrounder CANADIAN FAMILIES BETTER OFF WITH HARPER Since 2006, the Harper Conservatives have introduced tax relief and benefits that have improved the lives of average Canadian families across the country. Typical Savings A typical Canadian family is saving $3,894 each year as a result of the Harper Government’s tax relief and benefits. In this example, assume that one parent earns $52,000 and the second parent earns $35,000. They have two children – a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. One of the parents takes public transit to work. Thanks to the Harper Conservatives, the family would save:
Cutting the GST The Harper Conservatives have kept their promise to reduce the GST from seven to five per cent. The two-point reduction saves the average working family hundreds of dollars per year on day-to-day purchases, not to mention hundreds more on a new car or thousands on a new home. This tax cut benefits all Canadians regardless of age or income – including those whose incomes are too low to pay income tax. The total savings from the two per cent reduction are almost $12 billion a year. Reducing the GST is part of the Conservative Government’s broader plan to ensure Canada’s long-term economic growth and prosperity. Since coming to office, the Conservative Government has taken action to cut sales, income and business taxes, to reduce the overall tax burden for Canadians and businesses by close to $200 billion and to bring taxes to their lowest level in nearly 50 years. $100 per month Child Care Benefit Part of Canada’s Universal Child Care Plan, the Universal Child Care Benefit helps Canadians balance work and family by supporting their child care choices. This benefit of $100 a month — up to $1,200 a year per child — is paid to parents for all children under six years of age. The Universal Child Care Benefit was introduced by the Harper Government in July 2006. Payments are made directly so that parents can choose the child care that is best for their children and their family’s needs. Targeted tax relief The Harper Government has introduced a number of targeted tax cuts to assist Canadian families, including:
Tax Free Savings Account The Harper Government has introduced the Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) – a flexible, registered general-purpose account that will allow Canadians to earn tax-free investment income. Starting in 2009, Canadians will be able to set aside up to $5,000 a year in a TFSA. Capital gains and investment income in the TFSA will not be taxed and withdrawals will be tax free. Canadian families will be able to use the money saved in their TFSAs to start a small business, purchase a new home or a new car, or take a vacation. In these ways, savings contribute to a higher standard of living for Canadians. Canada. We’re better off with Harper. |
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