Mr. Speaker, in response to the first question on taxes, we do not want the Minister of Finance to raise taxes when he tables his next budget, or the one after that.
However-and I have the feeling my colleague is having trouble reading our recommendations, does not understand them or does not want to understand them-, there are inequities in Canada's current tax system. There are so many inequities, as I demonstrated a little before the House adjourned last December, business taxation in Canada has become so ludicrous that some businesses even sell their unused tax deductions to other businesses. There was a classified advertisement in the newspaper offering a tax loss for sale to businesses that could use it. If you do not find this ludicrous, there is a problem.
What we are saying is that there are loopholes to be closed, inequities to be corrected in our tax system. As a result, we have been recommending for a year and a half that the government undertake a comprehensive review of the tax system.
We already know about the loopholes. The auditor general has already pointed out some of them. He mentioned the 16 tax treaties, saying that there were problems with them because they were often concluded with countries considered to be tax havens, where Canadian businesses open fictitious subsidiaries, report fictitious losses, and manage not to pay what they owe Revenue Canada.
If you want to maintain these inequities, these loopholes, these inconsistencies, while asking Canadian men and women to tighten their belts another notch, there is a problem within the Reform Party although it is not the only problem.
As for family trusts, let me reiterate that the Minister of Finance held out his hand to us by saying that he would let a finance subcommittee look into the matter of family trusts, that it would be given carte blanche, that his officials would visit the committee and do whatever it would ask them to do. It was a monumental farce.
It was even, I would say-no, I will not say it because it would be unparliamentary-but it is a monumental farce. We had four months of regular hearings. We met with officials and experts. Imagine, the Liberal chair told the officials that they did not have to answer the questions. Enough is enough. There is a problem with respect to the relations between the government and senior officials. Senior officials can answer if they feel like it. They never responded to that.
How can we propose specific measures when you and I along with my Liberal colleagues do not know what is happening with family trusts nor how much money we are losing as a result of the tax treaties.
There is a lack of transparency, of understanding, and I think that it has become ridiculous.