Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for this opportunity to direct some questions and comments to the leader of the Reform Party.
I listened carefully to what the leader of Reform Party had to say. In fact, I always listen very carefully to what Reform members have to say, and there are two points I would like to make. My first point is that the leader of the Reform Party does not have the foggiest idea of what is happening today in Quebec, of what is shaping and promoting the sovereignist option in Quebec to make a country out of the land we cherish. It is not because of poor management by the federal government. It is, first and foremost, about choosing the kind of society and country we want, and above all, it is about getting out of a system that is impervious to reform, a system that is doomed.
I think the Reform Party is accelerating the process in Canada, because last week they proposed cuts to all the symbols that are a source of pride for Canadians. I do not feel more Canadian than the Reform Party, but I think they lack vision.
They brag about proposing $10 billion in cuts, but just look where they want to make those cuts! It is so vicious and shortsighted, for instance, to suggest cutting and slashing and even destroying the CBC, as well as everything connected with the language, culture, development and international presence of the country they claim to defend. They want to save $10 billion by destroying the very foundations of what they claim to defend. This is odd, to say the least.
About a month and a half ago, we in the Bloc Quebecois presented proposals that would raise between fifteen to twenty million dollars. Mr. Speaker, consider the difference between our approach and theirs. Consider that $8 billion worth of unpaid revenue is out there, $8 billion owed to the federal government, a point that was raised in the Auditor General's report last week. They are not talking about going after those $8 billion worth of unpaid revenue and taxes, and do you know why? Because most of those accounts receivable are big accounts, people with very high incomes who owe money to the federal government and who can count on the right incarnate on our left-I know it sounds peculiar-to defend them with blind dedication. They know these people will defend them practically to their dying breath. They are not interested in those $8 billion because these are their pals out West.
They also ignored the fact that $1.5 billion could be cut in the National Defence budget, as we suggested. They did not even consider what the Auditor General had to say about wasteful spending at National Defence. Why? Again, probably because they have some friends there, so they will not admit there is any wasteful spending in the Public Service and at the Department of National Defence.
They did not take a look either-guess where, Mr. Speaker? At the tax treatment of corporations. They do not want to touch it. Why? Because they are so dogmatic. As far as the Reform Party is concerned, these big corporations can do no wrong.
I suppose if they are prepared to say it is morally right-they are very keen on morality-to have a classified ad in the newspaper that says "unused federal tax deduction for sale", and accept that, they will not look at the tax treatment of corporations, which I think is disgraceful. They have no social conscience and do not have the foggiest notion of what Canada is all about.
They approve of an outrageous family trust system which defers for 80 years taxes payable on capital belonging to the wealthiest in this country, and there again, I think they lack a sense of morality and they lack vision.
For all these reasons, I think it is disgraceful that Reform Party members set themselves up as great reformers. It looks more like they are out to destroy the country they claim to defend. We are anxious to get out of this country because we are sick and tired of these dogmatic speeches.