Madam Speaker, I will add my voice to the proceedings to touch upon the issue of honesty within government.
The Reform Party is also known as the son of Brian. When Reformers need ideas they go south of border and huddle with Newt Gingrich and Pat Buchanan. Then they come back thinking this is the United States of America. I will go beyond that to talk about decisions and standing by what one says and there are several examples.
After the budget presentation the first person who stood up to applaud the budget was none other than the Reform finance critic from Capilano-Howe Sound. Five minutes later he was out of the House. Later the Reform defence critic said that the Minister of Finance cut too much. Still later the member for Saanich-Gulf Islands said that we went too far. We do not know if we are cutting enough, if we are going too far, if we are not going too far. Reformers cannot make up their minds which way to go.
When Reform members talk about pensions it is really insulting. There are members in the Reform Party who are so-called double dipping. One of the first things we did as a government in our commitments was eliminate double dipping as well as the cuts which were mentioned earlier by my colleague.
In Reformers' own ridings, 55 per cent of their constituents have stated that the Reform Party is too extreme. This is from their own constituents whom they say they represent. Their constituents sent them here to represent them. They vote against their own constituents. Consider the gun issue. They were sent here to vote against it and they voted for it. They cannot have their cake and eat it too.
It is no coincidence that the Reform Party membership is down by 65 to 70 per cent. I ask myself why. It is simple: Nobody wants to be associated with the extreme views of the Reform Party. Nobody wants to be associated with the Newt Gingriches of this world who look at the esoteric picture as opposed to the global relationship we have.
There are certain expenditures but they do not talk about the the leader of the Reform Party who has gone from the $44 a night Travelodge Hotel to one that is $165 per night.
I could go on and on, but I think I have made my point. Reformers should be honest with the people of Canada.