In my constituency, the first and foremost issue--all day, every day--is immigration. However, the second issue is generally dealing with the CRA. I've had quite a number of situations in my office where I've thought, this isn't right. People have been caught between interpretations and the regulations and things of that nature, and I can't seem to get anywhere, and I can't seem to offer people solutions. They retain professional counsel, either accountants or lawyers, in order to try to get through their particular situation with the Canada Revenue Agency.
On the face of it, you have a preference that has been accorded to a particular category of taxpayers. I think there are times when an administrative solution is in fact the only solution, because you can't draft legislation that fixes all things for all people at all times. It's just impossible.
The way I see it is that this is an opportunity for members of Parliament to have the CRA, and possibly others, in before us to tell us how things move up the food chain, if you will, to get to administrative solutions for legislative anomalies. It may be that, after reflecting, we actually think there should be a legislative response, not necessarily to this specific situation but to the anomalies that frequently get kicked up.
I have nothing but sympathy for these people who quite innocently took options and got caught in the crossfire of the interaction--taking the options--and how it's interpreted under the Income Tax Act.
I appreciate Mr. Del Mastro's worry about the Liberal Party of Canada, but I'm not overly fussed about that...even individuals in the Liberal Party. I'm touched. I really am touched. I don't think, frankly, that this is all that much of a partisan issue one way or another. I think this is a continually--