Mr. Speaker, after listening to the hon member's speech, it is obvious he does not understand the role crown corporations play in this country. The member said that we should put the existence of some of these crown corporations to a public vote. That is a pretty good idea because I believe the reason we have crown corporations is that they fill a role that a lot of private corporations would not take on. I am talking about services to remote regions and disadvantaged regions.
I think of Pacific Western Airlines, for example. It needed the Federal Business Development Bank for its initial loan in order to get off the ground. It was a government instrument that assisted that company in getting started. We can go from airports, trains and post offices to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC is an instrument which pulls this country together. In some parts of Canada the CBC is the only communication Canadians get. These Reformers just want to cut, cut,
cut to a point where there will not be anything left to hold this country together.
We on this side of the House realize that we have to run a lean government. However, we are not going to buy their notion of turning it into a mean government.
I wish the Reform Party would also spend some time talking about some strategies for growth. Put some ideas forward that will help small business. The hon. member is sitting next to his colleague who worked very hard for seven months to put some specific ideas forward to help small business get access to capital.
The Reform Party should spend a little less time on the deficit and a little bit more time on how we create jobs.