We are dealing with the theory but we will not have enough time to look at all that. I would have liked to deal more specifically with clause 1643 but we will obviously not have enough time.
You say that the tax is related to an expenditure. Mr. Wallace is looking into his little blue books but those are not net expenditures. They are expenditures and that is all. It is in the book of votes. There is no offset to revenue. Revenue might be lower, equal or higher, and that would change nothing to the expenditures that Mr. Wallace is looking at with considerable interest.
As Mr. Martin correctly indicated, this is a tax that will go into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. It has been set on the basis of the cost of air transport safety. Of course, there always has to be a basis for setting a tax. It is increased because safety costs more. We are being told that the tax takes the elevator when costs increase but, when they decrease, it does not take even the stairs to go down. I would like to remind you that there have been temporary taxes both in Canada and Quebec. That was in the 70s. I was there. But they became permanent.
I have no other questions, Mr. Chair. Mr. Wallace might cut me off and I do not want that to happen.