Madam Speaker, in response to my hon. colleague's questions, I do not remember saying anything about a grab all in my presentation. One must be very cautious in using the term grab all. What we are talking about is putting money into the hands of individuals, in lending a helping hand and a hand up. I do not think that anyone seriously quibbles or quarrels with that.
What we do have a problem with is when the federal government taxes individuals and takes the money into government. It takes a dollar from the hands of the taxpayer and then spits out 20 cents into the arms of a business. That business will then go into competition with the business which supplied the taxes in the first place.
This debate has nothing to do with transfers to individuals. It has to do with regional economic expansion, which is federal government money going to businesses and the federal government picking winners and losers, or any government picking winners and losers. I submit if members were to make a list of winners and losers that all levels of governments have picked, the list of losers would be as long as their arms and the list of winners would be very short indeed.