Responsible and Prudent Economic Leadership

March 05, 2008

Canadians work hard. They deserve the opportunity to save more of what they earn.

Last night the House of Commons passed the Conservative Government's Budget 2008. This is a prudent and focused budget that makes it easier than ever for Canadians to save and plan for their future.

The new $5,000 Tax-Free Savings Account delivered in Budget 2008 is just the latest tax-relief measure delivered by the Conservative Government.

As promised, the GST has been cut from 7% to 6% to 5%. The basic personal amount, the amount Canadians earn before paying income tax, has gone up and will go up again next year. And as Canadians file their taxes this year they will benefit from a reduced income tax rate of 15%, retroactive to January 1, 2007. These changes mean more money will go back where it belongs, into the pockets of hard-working Canadians.

This stands in stark contrast to the approach preferred by the Stéphane Dion Liberals. To date, the Dion Liberals have made reckless spending promises that would plunge Canada at least $62.5 billion deeper into debt. Yet rather than answer for all of this spending, Mr. Dion continues to hide from publicly releasing the costs of his promises. It is one more reminder that Stéphane Dion is not a leader and not worth the risk.

Real leadership means standing up for what you believe in and following through on your commitments. Whether Canadians are spending money at the store, saving money for the future, or receiving money back on their taxes, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative Government are delivering real results that more Canadians can take to the bank.