I think it's a couple of things. I'll be very brief.
When we talk about a competitive tax rate, it's very important to recognize that when I say that and when the government says that, it's for businesses across the country. We are in a very competitive world in which people scan the competitive environment and make decisions as to where to invest. Taxation is not the only thing, but it's an important thing. The figures I quoted show the importance, that if you can keep tax rates competitive, they will attract investment; they will attract businesses.
The fact that over an extended period of time the percentage of GDP has been stable shows that there's been no lessening of revenue. At the same time, you are making it more competitive. I know a lot of attention has been paid nowadays to non-financial corporations and the extent to which they're making investments. I think it's recognized that investments are robust. The question is, could they be more so? This is a question that is best addressed on an individual company basis because they know their clients. They know the marketplace. They know where their investments have to be made.
I would say, quite frankly, that in uncertain times, one can understand why a company would wish not to have excess debt on its books and would wish to have a strong balance sheet. This is what kept Canada relatively strong going into the recession. Small businesses had strong balance sheets.
Having said that, we all want more investment for productivity. I think, quite frankly, a competitive tax regime helps that.