Whitby, Ontario
9 October 2014
Thank you very much everybody.
Good afternoon.
It's a real pleasure to be here, especially at this time of year.
I see the ball hockey game in the background.
This time of year when this whole part of Ontario I think is more accurately called Leafs Nation, when, of course, the Leafs are still contending for a spot in the playoffs.
But well, we have all of the pros taking to the ice this week we always have to remember that they are vastly outnumbered by thousands of young Canadians like these who admire and who emulate them in countless community halls and arenas across the country.
I remind people I was one of them when I was a boy playing not too far from here.
That's what it says in my remarks.
I was east of Yonge Street so we will call that not too far from here.
Like most kids I was never the best player on the ice.
In fact I was almost always the worst player on the ice.
But my heart was in the right place even if my stick seldom was.
For me and for millions of kids across Canada it's the heart, it's the love of the game that really matters.
And on that I have to tell you all I am obviously honored to be here with such a distinguished array of my colleagues and our invited dignitaries.
But also honoured to be here in the area formally represented by our good friend, the late Jim Flaherty, in this place that he loved so much, and to have Christine with us.
It’s delightful.
Jim spent much of his political career working to help Canadian families.
He knew, as our Government knows, how hard Canadian families work for their money and how tough it is to balance the demands of work and raising children.
That's why our Government has acted to put more money into the pockets of Canadian families – the Tax-Free Savings Account for example, and the Universal Childcare Benefit.
And to help families make the best possible choices for kids, in 2007 our Government introduced the Children's Fitness Tax Credit.
Now, today, I should say almost every year since we brought this in, almost a million and a half Canadian families have taken advantage of this tax credit, making healthy activities more accessible for countless children across the country.
As parents we know that playing sports and being active is a part of growing up healthy.
It's a part of raising a family in Canada.
From early morning at the rink for hockey or figure skating to weekend road trips for basketball or soccer or volleyball – we know well – to countless hours spent at the dance studio or the gymnastics club watching for those tentative first steps on the balance beam, steps that for some kids might lead to the Olympics like Whitby's own Anne Ottenbrite who won gold in swimming at the Summer Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles.
Give her another hand for that.
I think that deserves more than one hand, winning a gold medal.
We all do it as parents.
We do it because we believe our children, like every child, deserves to have a dream and a chance to live that dream.
But for most kids we know it leads to other things: learning new skills, making new friends, gaining new confidence, building strong character.
And, we hope, inspiring a passion for being active and healthy, which will last a lifetime.
But as many of you know, getting kids into these activities can be a challenge for hard-working parents.
The costs add up.
That's why we promised that we would do even more to help families with the costs of kids' sports.
That's why I am very pleased today to tell you that this government is moving ahead this taxation year, 2014, with one of our election promises.
That is we are doubling the amount that parents can claim for their kids' fitness activities.
And also, beginning next year, 2015, we will make this tax break refundable, meaning that lower income families that pay little or no income tax will still be able to benefit and receive a check from the government to help cover the cost of their children's fitness activities.
And we do this because for something this important no child should be left out.
Everyone has heard the saying, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose it's how you play the game.
But what's even more important for our Government is that kids get a chance to play in the first place.
That's why we're making it more affordable for children to participate in sports and other physical activities.
That has been our approach, promoting health in a way that is affordable by lowering taxes for Canadian families.
These activities are good for our children, they are good for our communities, and our view is that whatever is good for our children and good for our communities is good for Canada.
Thank you and good luck to all of the young kids and their parents.
