Staying the course for Eglinton-Lawrence, Ontario and Canada

Economic Action Plan 2014 will keep Canada strong amid growing global uncertainty.

Today more than a million more Canadians are working than in the depths of the recession — the best job record among G-7 countries.

The imperative work our government began in 2006 is as essential as ever, and our budget promises further action to benefit Canadians.

Our goal is to create jobs and economic growth, while keeping taxes low and balancing the budget in 2015. With our government’s many tax cuts, the average family in Eglinton-Lawrence will save $3,400 in taxes this year. Tax cuts for job-creating businesses let them hire more workers. With the Canada-European Union Trade Agreement we opened up the largest consumer market in the world for Canadian goods and services.

Our government shares the concerns of Canadians about our youth’s struggle to enter the workforce. So we are investing in students by providing funding for internships in high-demand fields and in small- and medium-sized businesses.

We are renewing the Computers for Schools Program so our students and interns have computers they need to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in today’s economy.

Budget 2014 also supports Canada’s entrepreneurs with additional funds for the Canada Accelerator and Incubator Program, which helps entrepreneurs establish new companies.

Furthermore, we are working to increase mentorship among women entrepreneurs.

Additionally, we will eliminate wasteful and costly payroll deduction remittances by small businesses to the Canada Revenue Agency.

We are on the road to balancing the budget next year. Balanced budgets keep taxes low and signal steadiness and fiscal prudence to potential investors.

They also address a moral issue: to avoid burdening our children and grandchildren with our debts.

Previous governments balanced the budget by cutting transfers to the provinces for health care or education. Our approach is to cut waste and drive efficiency.

In fact, under the Stephen Harper government the amount Ontario receives in health transfers is up 60 percent from the last Liberal government.

Eglinton-Lawrence elected me to keep taxes low and support job creation, and I am confident Economic Action Plan 2014 will do the job.