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Just in time for the new school year, Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday that a Liberal government would offer educators tax breaks on up to $1000 worth of school supplies they purchase for their students. Mighty middle A cornerstone of Trudeau’s election platform is his promise to lessen the tax burden on the middle class. He’s promised to trim the income tax rate for those who earn between $44,700 and $89,401, from 22 per cent to 20.5, a net saving of $670 per person per year. Money for Mom ‘n’ Pop In a plan that he says will help create jobs, Thomas Mulcair has pledged to cut taxes on small businesses from 11 per cent to 9 per cent. The reduction would be phased in one percentage point at a time, with the first cut coming immediately after the NDP assumed power and costing an estimated $600 million. Investing in invention In addition to the small business tax cut, Mulcair says he would stimulate the economy with an Innovation Tax Credit for businesses that invest in research and development. Reno rebates Conservative Leader Stephen Harper’s first major promise of the campaign was to re-introduce and make permanent the Home Renovation Tax Credit. It would allow homeowners to earn back up to $600 on renovation costs between $1,000 and $5,000. Proud parents Adoptive parents can already claim some of their costs under the Adoption Expense Tax Credit, but Harper proposes raising the amount from $15,000 to $20,000, starting in 20162017, and indexing it to inflation. At your service In one of his more narrowly focused policies, Harper pledged this week to make membership fees for volunteer service clubs eligible for charitable tax breaks.