Madam Speaker, the member for Calgary Centre has put me on the horns of a dilemma: do I think for myself or do I listen to the department?
t That is not necessarily two different issues, but I like to think that I can still keep my own counsel when I listen to other professionals giving me advice.
The last point is a very serious point. In this case I am not speaking for the department. I have some doubts about the flat tax. It does not mean that I think there should not be an open discussion. I have listened to my colleague from Broadview-Greenwood bring this up several times. I really do hope the finance committee takes a look at these ideas in the fall as part of the deliberations for the upcoming budget.
If it will help the committee to have a presentation on some of the data and some of the intricacies, either publicly or with the hon. member individually, I would be more than happy to take that request to the department and we can arrange something. I do not think the resources of the government should be, if you will, cornered by the government and I do not have any intention of doing that.
If I appear to be critical of a different way of approaching taxation, it does not mean that I am not willing to open up the doors and make sure that is fully explored in the coming months. The member has given this a lot of thought. We have our disagreements but that does not mean that it should not be looked at properly and thoroughly.