Despite there existing a minister for middle class prosperity, Canada has no official measure of what constitutes the “middle class,” says a response tabled in the House of Commons on Monday.

That conclusion was found in a response to three Order Paper questions submitted by Conservative MPs last month.

“Canada has no official statistical measure of what constitutes the middle class,” said the responses tabled by Mona Fortier, the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance.

In November, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed Fortier to the new cabinet role, a position that was quickly questioned because economists have no agreeable definition as to what constitutes the “middle class.”

However, the replies tabled by Fortier noted that a middle-class lifestyle can vary greatly dependent on a variety of factors, including region.

“The income required to attain a middle-class lifestyle can vary greatly, depending on Canadians’ specific situations such as their family situation, whether they face child care expenses or whether they live in large cities where housing tends to be more expensive,” it said.

The response also said the “government’s focus on middle-class prosperity reflects its priority on policies that grow the economy and benefit a very broad group of Canadians.”

Asked for comment on Fortier’s reply, a spokesperson for Fortier said there’s no “one size fits all” definition for the middle class.

“The reality is the cost of living varies across the country. What you need to earn to live comfortably in Toronto differs from Moncton. What you earn in Lac Mégantic won’t grant you the same quality of life as in Montreal,” said press secretary Daniele Medlej.

“What Minister Fortier’s role consists of is looking at these regional differences, and studying the different factors that impact a good quality of life for Canadians across the country.”

Two days after her Nov. 20 swearing-in, Fortier was asked to define the middle class when she appeared on CBC Radio’s The Current.

The Ottawa-Vanier MP declined to offer a precise description but said she defined it as “where people feel that they can afford their way of life.”

“They have a quality of life, and they can have, you know, send their kids to play hockey or even have different activities. It’s having the cost of living where you can do what you want with your families,” she said.

Fortier, Morneau received same briefing package upon appointments

A response to an access to information request submitted by iPolitics to Finance Canada shows that no records exist regarding a communications plan or talking points prepared for the minister that would explain, define the role or purpose of her new cabinet role.

The timeframe of the request was between Nov. 10 and Nov. 23 — which covers the days prior to, and immediately after, her appointment. Departments often provide briefing material to help new and re-appointed ministers prepare for their role.

However, a Finance Canada spokesperson Marie-France Faucher told iPolitics on Tuesday that a package of briefing materials prepared for Finance Minister Bill Morneau was also provided to Fortier when she took on her new role.

Faucher said the transition material was prepared by the department during the election period. As well, Fortier had also met with senior departmental officials early in her tenure to aid in the transition process, she said.

READ MORE: What will the Middle Class Prosperity minister do? Improve data use, mandate letter says

Fortier had told The Current that a caveat to her appearance on the show on Nov. 22 was that she had not yet been briefed by officials on her roles and responsibilities.

Fortier’s mandate letter released in December said she will be tasked with improving the use of data in government decision-making. In particular, she is tasked to lead work at Finance Canada to better incorporate “quality of life measurements into government decision-making and budgeting, drawing on lessons from other jurisdictions such as New Zealand and Scotland.”

The minister has also participated in pre-budget consultations, travelling to Montreal and cities in Ontario to hear from stakeholders earlier in January.

Trudeau, in a December interview with Toronto’s Breakfast Television, offered a brief comment when asked to define the term.

“Canadians know who’s in the middle class and know what their families are facing and we focus more on the actual issues,” he said.

The order paper questions were submitted by Conservative MPs Pat Kelly, Rachael Harder and Alice Wong.

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-With files from Kirsten Smith