The Conservative government’s Economic Action Plan has helped Canada

The Conservative government’s Economic Action Plan has helped Canada become a leader among industrialized countries on a range of economic indicators including low debt levels, infrastructure spending, and public investments in science and technology.

But most importantly, Canada’s economy has created 1.3 million net new jobs since the depths of the global recession – one of the strongest job creation records in the G-7. And the majority of these new jobs are full-time positions in high-wage, private sector industries. Simply put, Canada has one of the strongest job creation records in the G-7. Not only are more Canadians working than before the recession, there are more Canadians working than ever before in our country’s history.

However, the global economy is still weak and in turmoil.  Thanks to the Conservative government’s careful economic management, the Canadian economy is stronger than other countries’ but is vulnerable to instability elsewhere in the world and needs to be protected.

To keep our focus on maintaining and creating new, well-paying jobs, a re-elected Conservative government will set a job creation goal of 1.3 million net new jobs by 2020.  This level of job growth would see new jobs created at a slightly faster pace than Canada has experienced in the past five years.  But with the Conservative government’s low-tax, balanced budget plan, it is an achievable “stretch” target for the next four years.

Our Conservative government’s low-tax, balanced budget plan will protect the economy and grow jobs over the next four years.  As part of our Economic Action Plan, we will:

• Keep the budget balanced
• Cut payroll taxes for workers and employers by over 20 percent
• Cut red tape on small businesses by 20 percent
• Bring in a new, permanent Home Renovation Tax Credit to support residential construction
• Lower taxes on small businesses that hire apprentices and skilled trade workers
• Support the transformation of Canada’s manufacturing sector
• Fund innovation and research and development in manufacturing, agriculture, and fisheries
• Provide tax relief for mining exploration
• Finance important economic infrastructure, such as marine ports and internet broadband in rural communities, to help move Canadian goods to market and support rural economic development

These types of low-tax, affordable investments will help protect Canada’s economy and keeping it moving forward, and ensure that we continue to create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians.

THE ISSUE
Our Conservative government’s Economic Action Plan is focused on protecting Canada’s economy and creating jobs. Canada’s economy has created 1.3 million net new jobs since the depth of the global financial crisis. That’s because we have focused on a balanced budget, low taxes, and affordable, targeted investments to keep our economy growing and moving forward.  Key parts of Prime Minister Harper’s Economic Action Plan include:

• Achieving a balanced budget in 2014-15 – a full year ahead of schedule
• Lowering taxes on families and Canadian businesses, including most recently the largest tax cut for small- and medium-sized businesses in over a quarter century[1]
• Concluding free trade agreements with 39 countries including the European Union and South Korea to significantly increase Canada’s trade network and provide more export opportunities for Canadian businesses[2]
• Providing support to Canadians completing apprenticeships, and establishing the Canada Job Grant to ensure skills-training will lead to future employment[3]
• Reforming Canada’s immigration system to ensure that it complements the country’s economic needs[4]
• Launching the longest and largest investment plan for public infrastructure in Canada’s history[5]
• Helping firms invest in new technologies and research and development through targeted tax relief and funding partnerships with Canada’s universities and colleges[6]

THE CHOICE 

Protecting our fragile economy is our number one priority.  With a balanced budget last year and a $5-billion dollar surplus so far this year, the Conservative government is pursuing a low-tax, balanced budget plan to protect and grow Canadian jobs.

Justin’s Liberals and Mulcair’s NDP would run permanent deficits, hike taxes, and expose our fragile economy to instability elsewhere in the world. Justin has promised to significantly raise payroll taxes – even though small business owners have overwhelmingly said that payroll taxes are the biggest impediment to growing their businesses[7] and that tax hikes would require them to lay off workers or close down altogether.[8]  And experts have confirmed that Mulcair’s plan to raise payroll and business taxes would kill 250,000 Canadian jobs.[9]

Only Prime Minister Harper’s Conservative government can be trusted to protect our economy and continue creating new jobs in a weak and unstable global economic environment.