Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his contribution on a very important issue.
It is important for members of the House and the public to know that the critic for industry from the Reform Party has been working very hard in committee over the last two years on the whole issue of access to capital for small businessmen and women. The issue we are debating today is very important for that whole small business market.
We have been trying to the best of our ability in a non-partisan way to try to change the thought processes of the banks in their attitudes toward small business. Frankly, after two years despite a bunch of PR from the banks we have not accomplished a lot.
Does the member not fear or have concern that those million small businessmen and women out there who depend by and large on that relationship with their branch managers will once again lose leverage with their financial institution because once they take on the insurance component of a business relationship, that small business will have no other place to deal than with the bank? If that relationship is not solid then that small businessman's or businesswoman's whole equation is in jeopardy.