Thank you.
I'd like to now move to Mr. Wilson at the Surrey Board of Trade.
I noticed your presentation speaks on behalf of the small business tax situation and is silent on the HST. Given that the date of your submission is August 14, I wonder if perhaps it was something that was not really on your radar at that point. Many small businesses in my community are phoning me and e-mailing me, telling me about the harmful effects of the HST on their business, particularly restaurants, all sorts of service sectors, businesses of all types.
I also want to indicate for the record that despite the Liberals' attempt to run from this issue as best they can, it was a 1996 federal Liberal government that brought in the HST agreements with the maritime provinces. Indeed, they voted for the budget in January that contained the HST provisional moneys.
What I would like to know is whether your members in Surrey, and particularly small businesses, have communicated to you their position on the HST and how that might be affecting their business.