OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper sarcastically wished his political opponents “good luck” if the New Democrats and Liberals campaign on a promise to scrap the Conservatives’ income-splitting measure.

Harper was asked why the government implemented income-splitting for households when, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, only two million households — or 15 per cent — would benefit.

He defended the measure, saying his government wants “to have a fair income-tax system that allows people to put more money back in their own pockets and that’s what we’re committed to doing.

“And if the other guys want to tell you they are going to take it away, good luck to them selling that message to Canadians,” Harper said at an event in Mississauga. “Canadians want lower taxes. They don’t want higher taxes for their families, they want lower taxes for their families.”

The New Democrats and Liberals have both said allowing spouses to split their income for tax purposes, which would cost $2 billion a year in foregone revenues, is a waste of money. Only 15 per cent of families would benefit, with most of the gains going to families where one spouse earns a high income and the other stays home or has a low income, opposition MPs say.

And both the NDP and Liberals have said they would scrap the plan if elected to govern.

Facing criticism over the income-splitting proposal, the government coupled the measure with several new spending initiatives for families when the announcement to go ahead with the tax cut was made last fall.

On Oct. 30, the government moved to increase the baby bonus, known as the Universal Child Care Benefit, and enhanced the Child Care Expense Deduction. The Children’s Fitness Tax Credit was doubled as well.

Speaking of the whole package of new spending and income-splitting, Harper said, “Every single Canadian household with children will gain from this proposition.” About 4.5 million households will benefit, he added. “This hits everybody, it’s a significant gain. It will be an average of about $1,000 per Canadian family.”

The income-splitting plan, which the Conservatives dubbed the Family Tax Cut, was made retroactive for the 2014 tax year. To address concerns that the plan would help too few families — a worry expressed by former finance minister Jim Flaherty, among others — the government capped the maximum benefit to any household at $2,000.

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