Mr. Speaker, the hon. member opposite has an enormous amount of difficulty understanding the obvious. There is no increase in the federal tax. The federal tax stays the same and it applies to exactly the same base.
There will be across the board reductions in Atlantic Canada in the rate, which has been set out at between 4 per cent and 5 per cent. The overall rate to the consumer as a result of substantial savings to small and medium size businesses will mean a lower rate to consumers.
Yesterday the hon. member stood up in the House and basically said the increase in gasoline taxes we have seen over the course of the last couple of months were due to the harmonization agreement. I pointed out to him the harmonization agreement has not taken effect and that it was very difficult to blame increases in gas taxes a month ago on an agreement to take place in the future.
There seems to be a desire that I sit down, but I have a great deal of difficulty-