Mr. Speaker, I address a few issues presented by my colleague. As a former producer of the product and a health care professional and now a politician, I can certainly look at this through many windows. Being a member representing tobacco growers in my riding, I felt I had to comment on some of the statements made earlier.
As to the fact of the government not being concerned with the deficit, with the amount of contraband cigarettes we are not collecting revenue the way it stands now. Therefore the option given to us to roll back the taxes was an option that would help alleviate this problem and perhaps down the road reintroduce the taxes so that revenue would be regenerated.
With regard to the government's lack of concern for health, I have always been a non-smoker. My husband was a smoker and I have two children who are non-smokers. It was their decision not to smoke. It was their choice. They were certainly exposed to the element. We all are and it is our choice to do so. The government has not legislated common sense.
Therefore I speak on the issue from the respect that it is a legal product and we have to address it in that manner.