Mr. Speaker, I will spend the last two minutes repeating some of the things I said yesterday.
The main reason I will be voting against this bill is because I want to represent the people in my riding. It is difficult for people across the way to understand that, but the people in my riding say there should be no more gold plated pensions. They would like to see a pension but they would like it to be the same as what they have to accept in the private sector. That is completely fair.
Although I cannot represent other people I have spoken in about 37 ridings, most of which are Liberal ridings. I would like to express on behalf of the people in those ridings that they too would like to see their members opt out of these types of pension plans. However they know that it will not happen. There happens to be a little problem. Possibly it is greed.
I want to make sure the government will hear the people when they ask for a plan to be provided that is compatible with the private sector. The government should consider establishing a separate group, a third party of the citizenry. Let the employers decide what they should pay in the way of pensions, salaries, and a few other things.
The Reform Party is prepared to do that. If Bloc members and the Liberals would like to come aboard, we could select people from the private sector and meet together to determine what we should receive in the way of pay, pensions and so on. We would certainly go along with the idea and I would accept whatever they decide.
As a reminder to the Liberals, especially to my friend from Kingston who seems to have forgotten, he works for the people of Kingston. They do not work for him. Let them set the salary and the pension. That is the fair way of doing it.
As leaders let us set the example. Everyone in the country is required to tighten their belts, to do more with less. For heaven's sake, the least we can do is set the example by refusing the pension. We could set examples in a lot of other ways as well. We could cut totally unnecessary trips to Asia, Africa, Europe and all over the world. It would result in a saving of $1.8 million, which would help meet the needs of many people in the country who are suffering for one reason or another.
There are many things to consider. Take a look at my frame. It crawls into an economy seat every time I get on a plane. If you think that is fun, trade sizes for a day and I will let you try it. It is a sacrifice to do it and I do not mind. I will continue to do it.
All of us need to sit back and realize that we are asking Canadians to help us solve the problem created by the politicians of the past in terms of the country's debt and deficits. Let us get our act together, think of our future, think of the children we are raising and think of our grandchildren. Let us act like statesmen and forget the politics and the silliness.