Mr. Speaker, once again, taxpayers' money is going up in smoke. The federal government has chosen the Italian Alps as the site of an international conference on tobacco farming in third world countries. Yes, you heard me right, the Italian Alps.
Canadian taxpayers will pay the expenses of not only six federal representatives, but also 20 experts from various countries. How can the Government of Canada justify such an expenditure in the present context of austerity?
Once again, the federal government's total lack of common sense in the way it manages the public purse has surfaced. While the federal government's reforms are wreaking havoc on the most needy, it is spending taxpayers' money like there is no tomorrow.