Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on Bill C-76, the budget implementation act, which is intended to legislate into law certain aspects of the government's budget tabled in February. I would like to focus my remarks today on how this bill and budget impacts upon Canadians.
"Government really does know what is best for you, rather than what you know yourself", seems to be the message of this government. Where is its trust in Canadians? Where is its confidence in individuals, families and communities to make their own best choices? I will attempt to illustrate the reasons for my concerns in the next few moments.
I want to review the four principles the government put forward in its budget. First, the government says it must get its own fiscal house in order and focus on cutting spending, not raising taxes. Before this budget was presented, I heard Canadians say they were taxed to death. I heard Canadians say they wanted no new taxes. Well, guess what? In this budget the government gave them new tax.
The second principle is that the priorities of this country must reflect the needs of the people. Canadians need an economic plan that promotes jobs and growth. I do not think the government gets it yet, that government does not create real jobs; individuals create real jobs. The money left in the hands of taxpayers will create real and lasting jobs.
The third principle it put forward was frugality, that every tax dollar counts. I ask this government, does that include the tax dollars that are going to go toward your pensions? Does that make those tax dollars count, obscene pensions by this government?
The fourth principle is that we must be fair among regions and among Canadians. Again, I take that point. Is an illegal pension plan for MPs fair to Canadians?
I would like to add a fifth item to this list of principles, and I wish the principles had been followed. This principle is one to add. We affirm the value and dignity of the individual person and the importance of strengthening and protecting the family unit as essential to the well-being of individuals in society.
The Reform Party has recognized the importance of family as a principle since its very inception. The Reform Party has established a task force on the family, which I chair, that is developing policies that specifically address issues that directly affect the family. This government must shift its focus and seriously consider the impact of the policies, both in its budget and otherwise, and how they apply to the Canadian family.
First, I would like to take a look at the debt-deficit circumstances of our country. This government, as with previous governments, is pursuing a reckless fiscal policy that sees our national debt mushrooming to alarming proportions. The total national debt as of today, April 3, 1995, stands at $540 billion plus.
The government has not laid out its plans to achieve a balanced budget yet. It has only set a target of 3 per cent of GNP for a deficit to GNP ratio. This target is totally unrealistic and duplicitous. Our debt continues to grow with an ever present deficit. The government's own statistics in its budget documents show that since it has been in power the debt will mushroom to $508 billion in 1993-94 and to a projected $603 billion in 1996-97, all other things being equal, $100 billion more in debt within its mandate, and it considers this a wise budget.
The percentage of net public debt to GDP will increase from 71.4 per cent in 1993-94 to 73.4 per cent in 1996-97. World standards would say that is completely unacceptable. The interest payments on that debt have increased from $38 billion in 1993-94 to a projected amount of over $50 billion in 1996-97.
I go back to my original statement: What do these statistics mean to the Canadian family? First, it means Canadian families are overtaxed. They have less disposable income because of their high level of taxation, and that makes a virtual necessity for two income earners to support a household. This government is driving two parents out of the home to make a living.
As Statistics Canada recently reported, family income has actually declined in real terms since 1989; that is, from $56,000 to $52,000 in real 1993 dollars. That is a decline of 7.5 per cent from 1989 to 1993. Meanwhile, the number of dual income families has been forced to increase. The decline in family incomes from 1992-93 was 2.6 per cent alone. In the meantime, day care demands increased thanks to taxation and government policy.
The second thing these debt and deficit statistics mean is that money will not be available for social programs that Canadian families require.
The interest on the debt is consuming one-third of our tax dollars. This means that with increasing debt and added deficits, less and less money will be available to fund our needed social programs. The government claims to be protecting the interests of Canadians and their families. Yet even in this budget, under the new Canada social transfers, block transfers to the provinces will actually decrease from $26.9 billion in 1996-97 to $25 billion in 1997-98.
What is needed? A fiscal remedy is needed. The focus of government spending on need and relief for the Canadian taxpayer and family is needed. A whole new approach and focus is needed by this government. Canadian families and individuals must be empowered to create opportunities for themselves and for their future. The government must get off the backs of Canadians. This is the Reform Party's approach.
In February, before the government tabled its budget, our party released its taxpayers' budget, the Reform Party's plan to balance the federal budget and provide social and economic security for the 21st century. This unprecedented action of presenting a budget before the federal budget combines both a remedy and relief.
First, this budget offers a clear solution for our fiscal problems and the debt-deficit crisis. This plan includes a balanced budget within the life of this Parliament. A balanced budget will result in a government that lives within its means.
How do we achieve this? With $10 billion in savings from government operations and $15 billion in affordable savings from targeted social programs. The government has not yet released its plan for achieving this vital goal, whereas Reform has, both during the election campaign and now.
It is interesting to note that in Reform's zero in three plan back in the election campaign, we predicted cutbacks of 30,000 in public service positions. This government at that time said absolutely nothing. Now it throws 45,000 public servants out of work and still keeps digging a bigger debt hole. That is not giving the full story to the Canadian people.
Reform, by contrast, reduces government spending honestly and realistically. At the same time, Reform offers a promise of empowerment for Canadian families. We define empowerment as the provision of better tools and increased opportunities for individuals, groups and provinces to improve their own social and economic security. This is relief.
How would Reform empower Canadians and Canadian families? First, the taxpayer protection act, to give the taxpayer a say in how government spends their hard-earned tax dollars. This would say first, that government spending and taxes would have to be balanced over the business cycle. Second, total government spending and taxes could not exceed a constant proportion of national income and could only be increased by extraordinary legislative means. Such an act would prevent the reoccurrence or continuation of our debt-deficit problem, which has plagued government for so many years. It could be somewhat like a taxpayers' rehab centre for a government addicted to overspending. It would force discipline upon the spending addictions of both government and its politicians.
Second, the empowerment of Canadian families would come through reform of our social security programs. Politicians have always worked with the premise that Canadians' personal security needs are best met by government. This has led to a centralized, bureaucratic, expensive system that is insensitive to individual needs. This has ignored both the ability and opportunity of many Canadians to help themselves and others.
Right now total spending on social programs in Canada exceeds $140 billion. That is $18,000 for every family of four in Canada. Reform would suggest that government programs may in fact be the worst way of providing for the social security needs of some of those Canadians.
We would like less government intervention in personal security. We have suggested the RPSP to put the future plans of Canadians in their own hands.
I would also like to see less government intervention in families, where, rather than a national day care program, government rewards and recognizes families for taking care of their own children. We need less, not more government. We need the empowerment of families, communities and local organizations.
Reform has a vision for building a new and better Canada. The security of Canada is not in government but in allowing wise choices to be made by families and individuals in Canada.