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But the measure, which could cost the government at least $2.5 billion annually, has proven controversial, even among Conservatives such as the late former finance minister Jim Flaherty, who said income-splitting for families would be of no benefit for many Canadians.

Harper said earlier this month his government intends “to move quickly to implement promises that we made to Canadians during the last election.”

Harper could announce a series of tax relief measures for families, which may include an enhancement to the $2.5-billion universal child-care benefit, with options including doubling the existing amount or making the $100-per-month (per child) benefit available to parents with children older than six.

The $7.4 billion in lapsed spending from the 2013-14 fiscal year is part of an effort to find the money for these kinds of tax breaks.

It is identified in federal records tabled in the House of Commons by Treasury Board president Tony Clement. An additional $10.9 billion in approved expenditures went unspent the previous year.

At the same time, several departments and agencies have been laying off thousands of employees and cutting billions of dollars in costs in an effort to help get the federal government back into black ink.

The tighter purse strings can be seen in the budgetary balance: the deficit in 2013-14 was $5.2 billion, dramatically lower than the $16.6 billion projected in the budget.

The savings have come at a cost to some departments.