Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. In answer to a question from the opposition, the Prime Minister said that his government did not intend to extend the GST to food, health care and medicine. Questioned as he left the House, the Prime Minister pretended that he misunderstood the question and went back on his statement by refusing to oppose a new tax on health care, medicine and food.
Could the Deputy Prime Minister tell us the government's real position? Is it the categorical no in the House or the Prime Minister's openness to new taxes when he met journalists on leaving the House?