Mr. Speaker, today President Clinton introduced a budget measure that would in effect charge each and every Canadian $1.50 U.S. or $3.00 per car to enter the U.S.
The U.S. administration will seize Canadian dollars and use them to beef up security at the U.S.-Mexico border. Essentially, it looks to me as though the U.S. government wants to tax Canadians to solve its security problems at the Mexico border.
These measures are a violation of our agreements which allow the free movement of goods and people across our borders. This is an illegitimate tax grab by the U.S. government and an insult to Canadians who respect reciprocal cross-border freedom for Canadians and our American neighbours.
This is a further irritant to the already strained Canada-U.S. relations. It should therefore be struck down by Congress and taken off the U.S. budgetary table.