Mr. Speaker, I heard so many strange things in that speech that I hardly know where to begin to set the record straight.
First, I do not know where the member was earlier when I presented some technical arguments. Had he been present, he would have understood that one should not get too close to the tree and ignore the forest. That is what he is doing now. We must consider all the basic data, the overall data in the case and see what happened before and after the harmonization at all tax levels.
If he looks at the data—and if he does not know, he should ask his finance minister because I suspect there is some ill will in this case—he will see that there are increases in tax rates for businesses and for individuals. Certain goods were no longer taxed, which generated losses for the Quebec government. These goods are now subject to the new harmonized tax, but the losses are still there.
This was demonstrated to him earlier. If what we are proposing is nonsense, what is the government afraid of? The member should ask his finance minister. What is he afraid of? What does he fear if his case is so strong? He should submit this case to the committee of experts.
I want to make a last brief comment. He referred to a former finance minister; I know he referred to Mr. Bourbeau. I would tell you that this is no reference. He is the one who left Quebec flat broke with an unprecedented deficit of $5 billion. So this is no reference.