OTTAWA - Several third-party groups told MPs on Monday to pay down debt and cut taxes.

Groups like the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, the Fraser Institute and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation told the House of Commons finance committee that cutting taxes and debt should be a top priority.

"It's important to lessen the tax burden on Canadians," said Philip Cross, a researcher with the think-tank Macdonald-Laurier Institute. "How we do it is not as important as lessening it."

Hundreds of groups have already given the committee advice on how the government should spend what is expected to be a surplus of at least $6.1 billion in the current fiscal year. Dozens more are expected to chip with their ideas in this fall.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper hinted two weeks ago that tax cuts were on the menu and he may not wait until next spring's budget to implement them.

"I look forward to the economic and fiscal update this fall when we will be taking the first steps in the next part of our Conservative plan for Canadians," Harper said earlier this month in a partisan speech as the current parliamentary season opened.

Other groups are ready to fight plans for tax cuts.

Canadian Union of Public Employees president Paul Moist said public services are more important than tax cuts.

"Tax cuts are failing to stimulate growth," Moist told the committee. "We need to focus on generating more quality jobs."

Meanwhile, others are telling the committee to use that surplus to boost spending on health and social programs. The Canadian Medical Association, for example, will tell the committee on Tuesday that more money is needed for seniors' care.

In his spring budget, Finance Minister Joe Oliver said the surplus for the year ending March 31, 2016, would be $6.4 billion, but some experts say it could be larger.