What would your party do to ensure Canada’s seniors are able to live comfortably in their retirement?
Canada’s seniors have saved and worked their entire lives, and I believe they know best how to make financial decisions about their futures and their retirement. Seniors at all income levels are benefitting from tax cuts and enhanced benefits introduced by the Conservative government. For example, tax-free savings accounts have provided 2.7 million seniors with a secure and flexible savings option that protects their money from being eroded by taxes; pension income splitting is providing significant tax relief to over one million senior couples; increases to Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits are helping Canada’s most vulnerable seniors, and increases to the Age Credit and the Pension Income Credit are providing significant tax relief to eligible seniors.
As a result of these measures, about 400,000 seniors have been removed from the tax rolls completely.
A re-elected Conservative government will establish a $2,000 Single Seniors Tax Credit that will extend additional annual tax relief to nearly 1.6 million single and widowed seniors in Canada who have pension income. When combined with the existing $2,000 Pension Income Credit that is claimed by 4.6 million seniors already, this new measure will double the tax relief available to single seniors annually, beginning in January 2017.
How would your party address the need to strengthen Canada’s infrastructure and what project would you say is the highest priority for your riding?
The economic success of Canada — and of the riding of Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke — depends greatly on the strength of our communities. Infrastructure projects benefit residents, families, businesses and visitors alike while generating economic growth and creating jobs.
Our government’s commitment to infrastructure represents $80 billion over the next 10 years. I am committed to investing in public infrastructure to reduce commuting times for families, enhance our economic productivity, and encourage job creation and economic growth.