Federal leaders focus on pledges to help Canadian families

The three main federal party leaders werewere on the campaign trail Thursday where they focused on their party's respective promises to help Canadian families.

Stephen Harper said a re-elected Conservative government would increase tax relief forfamilies adopting children, NDP Leader TomMulcair promoted his universalchild-care plan which promises aspot for every Canadian child at $15 per day, and Liberal Leader JustinTrudeauvowed to give Canadianscaring for a seriously ill family membergreater access to benefits.

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"We believethat there is no higher calling than that of raising a child,"Harper said duringa campaign stop in Newmarket, Ont. "Nor can there be any greater reward."

Harper said the Conservatives would increase the value of the AdoptionExpense Tax Credit, which is designed to defray the costs associated with adopting children.

We recognize that adoption costs can be highand, in some cases, prohibitive for parents.- Stephen Harper, Conservative leader

Currently,the non-refundable tax credit allows families to claim 15 per cent of adoption costs toamaximum of$15,000.

Harper vowed Thursday that a re-elected government would increasethemaximum eligible adoption expenses to $20,000. At 15 per cent, that works out to$3,000 per child.

The Conservatives would alsomake the credit fully refundable.While both refundable and non-refundabletax creditsreducethe amount of tax a person owes, a refundable credit can result in atax refund.

"What this means is lower-income families who pay little or no income tax will still be able to receive the full assistanceof the government to helpcover the cost of adoption," Harper said.

If the Conservatives are re-elected Oct. 19, theincrease in the tax credit wouldbe implemented in 2016 and cost the government an additional $4 million in foregone revenue.

About 3,000 children are adopted every year in Canada, according to theAdoption Council of Canada. As well:

• Publicadoption can cost up to $3,000.
• Adoptionthrough private agencies can go as high as $20,000.
• International adoptions can cost as much as $30,000.

NDP promotes $15 aday child-care plan

NDP Leader Tom Mulcairwas in Vancouveron Thursday where he promoted the NDP's plan for universal child care.

Mulcairpromisedto create 110,000 child-care spaces in B.C., where Vancouver parents pay some of the highest fees in the country.

He said his plan will make it easier for families in a province where two out of three children don't have access to regulated child care.

Children giggled and played with colourful toys during Mulcair's announcement, which came duringa campaign stop in the riding ofVancouver Granville.

Mulcair saidit's women who are forced to make difficult life decisions based on their children's needs.

He saidhe's spoken to mothers who say they're being forced to choose between their careers and their children.

Mulcair saidhis goal is to guarantee a child care spot for every Canadian child at $15 per day.

Liberalsto offer more support for caregivers

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau was in Victoria, B.C., where he pledged that a Liberal government would give Canadians greater access to benefits when caring for a seriously ill family member.

If elected, Trudeau saida Liberal government would invest $190 million to expand the compassionate-care benefit and make it accessible to any Canadian looking after a seriously ill family member.

He said the expanded program wouldn't lead to Canadians paying higher employment insurance premiums.

Trudeau saidunder a Liberal government the six-month benefit could also be claimed incrementally over a one-year period.

The Liberal Party traditionally hasn't performed well on Vancouver Island, though Trudeau appearsto be looking to gain traction in the southern region, where there's been a historical spattering of support.

The party hasn't been represented on the island since its last MP stepped down in 2011, after which they were soundly trounced in a tight two-way race between the Conservatives and the NDP.