The House of Commons has reconvened in Ottawa and our Conservative government’s top priorities will continue to be those that matter most to Canadians: jobs; growth and long-term prosperity. We intend to build on our strong economic record of creating jobs, keeping taxes low, supporting and protecting families, and putting Canada first.
The recent Speech from the Throne outlined our commitments and we will be introducing new legislation that will: open new markets for Canadian goods and services; create a Victims’ Bill of Rights; further protect our children and communities; and much more. We have been running a productive, hard-working and orderly Parliament that has allowed us to continue to deliver results for all Canadians, including our best legislative performance with 40 bills receiving Royal Assent in 2013.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has announced that Economic Action Plan 2014, our Government’s plan for jobs and opportunities, will be tabled February 11, 2014. This includes a great deal of work that I have been doing as Minister of State (Finance). Since, early November last year, Minister Flaherty and I have held several national and local pre-budget roundtable consultations. Additionally, thousands of Canadians answered the invitation to participate in the online pre-budget consultations. As always, I was pleased to see input from constituents in our Crowfoot riding.
Canadians shared their experiences and provided recommendations concerning the cost of living and raising a family. Many said they want to ensure Canadians are obtaining the skills and knowledge necessary for the jobs of tomorrow. Canadian businesses provided their input on how our government can further help businesses grow and hire new employees. All of these ideas have been helpful and constructive in supporting a stable environment in which investment and trade flourish.
Minister Flaherty and I met this past Monday with Canada’s leading private sector economists. They agreed that the average forecast from private sector economists is a reasonable basis for fiscal planning for Economic Action Plan 2014.
We have the federal government on track to balance the federal budget in 2015, while continuing with our low-tax plan to create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity. We continue to find additional savings and reductions in the expenditure of taxpayers’ dollars. Our Conservative government’s responsible and disciplined use of taxpayers’ dollars is expected to yield a surplus of just under $4 billion in 2015–16. I am very pleased that the average Canadian family of four now pays nearly $3,400 less in taxes than in 2006.
Ongoing global uncertainty and recent examples of the consequences of significant deficits in other countries make it even more important for Canada to remain focused on balanced budgets. Therefore, our government will not entertain the traditional laundry list of new spending touted by the New Democratic Party and Liberal Party. Their lists have been sent with no regard to their actual costs to taxpayers or their impact on the long-term state of Canada’s finances. Our government will remain focused on supporting job creation and helping grow the economy by keeping taxes low.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this or previous columns you may write to me at 4945-50th Street, Camrose, Alberta, T4V 1P9, call 780-608-4600, toll-free 1-800-665-4358, fax 780-608-4603 or e-mail HYPERLINK “mailto:Kevin.Sorenson.C1@parl.gc.ca” Kevin.Sorenson.C1@parl.gc.ca.
