Mr. Speaker, many calls and letters I am receiving are saying "do not reduce the tax on tobacco". They believe there are better methods to combat tobacco smuggling.
For example, Canada's tobacco tax levels represent 70 per cent of the selling price as do every other industrialized country in the world except the United States. Why does the U.S. not increase its tax?
They suggest a reinstatement of the export tax. In the few weeks it was in effect in 1992 the flow of smuggled tobacco dropped from a record level of 737 million to 146 million cigarettes.
They suggest licensing tobacco retailers and increased enforcement. It has taken 50 years to lower the number of persons smoking and thereby decrease health hazards.
One of our roles as a government is to protect the health of Canadians. My callers urge the government not to cave into the tobacco industry and immediately host a forum where all ideas can be heard while at the same time allow the government the opportunity to hear and weigh all factors in the equation.