Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for the interest he showed in my speech and tell him that having access to their RRSP, the only money most people managed to save allows them to tap their own savings to improve their way of life, prepare for their retirement, and invest in the only thing they still put their trust in.
Each time we open the door so that these people have easier access, either to ownership or to home improvement, we give them a greater sense of pride, at no cost to the government since it is their own savings they are using. The money in an RRSP is money invested by savers. In fact, it is a form of tax deferral, money that will eventually be put back into the public purse; it is not lost for the government. In the meantime, let these people have access to it, as easily as possible.
We could take additional measures. For example, the government is planning to eliminate the $100,000 capital gains exemption. The wealthiest members of our society already took advantage of the $500,000 exemption, which was brought down to $100,000, and only the middle class and the less fortunate members of our society could benefit from it. Unfortunately, the government is planning to do away with this exemption, penalizing once more the least fortunate. We objected to such measures and will continue to do so; we are hoping to get the support of our colleagues in the Reform Party, who should be equally interested in protecting the less fortunate members of society.
I urge them to take a position in support of our action, and I hope that they will do so.