Mr. Speaker, with reference to the questions we ask the finance minister in question period with respect to helping low income families and addressing the issue of child poverty, there is a difference of opinion here. Yes, the child supplement can be increased, as the member pointed out in her speech. That has been recommended and it will help families to the tune of another $250 million. That is nice and that is good. But that is not enough and it does not go far enough.
The Reform platform would offer more. But it is not tomorrow, not now. It would have to come when the budget is balanced and we all have to work toward that. The government could do a lot more
by making a lot of cuts, which I will talk about in my speech. The government could offer the relief, which can be offered at that time, to over 1.9 million lower income families across the board. That will truly help lower income people. That will truly help to eliminate child poverty because it will be leaving the money in the hands of those people who need it the most, those who make the least. We are still taxing people who make $12,000 a year to the tune of $1,200.
If we can target it to those families who are in need and increase it, that will help. But it does not help across the board. That is the direction we are trying to go in with that issue. That may give the impression that we are saying immediate tax cuts now. What we are saying is let us look at the fiscal policy of the government, rethink it and apply it to help the greatest majority of lower income people.