Mr. Speaker, never has a more cruel blow been imposed on Maude Barlow than to be cited by a Reformer.
Rather than go on, I will read the list of support at another time. Allow me to take the hon. member through the work we went through before coming to this solution.
When we were in opposition we looked at a series of alternatives. There are a number of people here who supported a business transfer tax. I myself publicly supported a personal expenditure tax. Once we came into office the finance committee was set up and it looked at a multitude of alternatives.
At the same time, the House may remember we made an offer to the provinces that would lower the rate and impose a flat tax which was rejected. There were public debates with the province of Ontario as to whether it would vacate the field or we would vacate the field.
This government has left no stone unturned in its seeking of a better alternative to what we have come up with. In the end we came up with the alternative that we felt was the best thing for the Canadian people, public policy and job creation. We are proud of what we have done.