Mr. Speaker, all Canadian citizens need money to put clothes on their backs, food on their tables and shelter around them. That is not limited to people in eastern Canada. That is not limited to people in western Canada. Every Canadian needs those things.
That is precisely what the Reform Party is all about. It is to create the situation where everybody has an opportunity to apply their initiative, their talents, develop their skills and abilities. That is what we are all about. We want to create the environment so that people will be able to perform.
The accusation that was made, the implication was that somebody in Canada believes somewhere along the line that Atlantic Canadians are somehow lazy. I have never said that. I have never intimated it. I have never even suggested that. The hon. member is grossly mistaken when he suggests that is the kind of thing that the Reform Party believes. That is absolutely false. Mr. Speaker, that ought to be made abundantly clear. He should take it back immediately. Nobody takes that position.
The position is that even people in Atlantic Canada, if he wants to take that position, will spend their money more wisely than a politician here in Ottawa. It has to be made abundantly clear that the people need to recognize that they must apply those skills and abilities that they do so well. Does that not mean that there are some temporary solutions that have to be made on an emergency basis? Absolutely and of course. Where there is a crisis that has to be addressed.
What we are talking about are the long term solutions as well. We need both, not just one. A cut in taxes will create long term solutions and will also allow enough money to deal with the crises that have to be dealt with.
We need a balanced approach. That is what Reform is all about, a common sense approach for the common people of Canada.