Mr. Speaker, I am very saddened by the hon. member's comments. I think I actually heard him giving advice to the separatist element of the country of how they should properly separate. This follows more on the heels of what the Minister of Human Resources Development said about the problems with this great nation of ours. There are two parties in the House each with its own single focus which seems to be on separating us and making us different.
The hon. member went on with a history lesson. He tells me he is an economist but in fact, he must be a historian. He wants to take us back into the history of the country, a history which incidentally has never existed, a laissez faire economy in which government is not involved in the economy whatsoever. The government's only function is presumably to make postage stamps. This economy has never existed in the world. An Adam Smith economy has never existed. The reality is the great United States, that great capitalist country has all kinds of these programs.
The hon. member went on to talk about China, the new evolution and the new world. I note the Reform Party refused to send people to China. I was one of the ones who was honoured to
go and support some of our small and medium sized businesses. Some of them were from the west.
In talking to the people of China I was surprised to learn that in spite of their demand type of economy they were all working. There was no unemployment. I am not supporting a communist system, but I am saying that when I look back on the situation in Canada I realize we have one of the highest standards of living in the world.
If I took anything seriously from the member's comments, somehow we would be all destitute. I would like the hon. member to comment on some of those aspects of our economy.