Madam Speaker, the hon. member brought forth examples from New Brunswick and said that New Brunswickers are in favour of this. I would like to cite some examples from New Brunswick.
The Canadian Real Estate Association said that the harmonization will increase the cost of a new house by $4,000 in Nova Scotia and by $3,374 in New Brunswick. The GST harmonization will be responsible for the closure of five Greenberg stores and a loss of 79 jobs in Buctouche, Dalhousie, Moncton, Sussex and Saint John. The management of this chain said that there is a 50-50 chance of further store closures and a loss of 71 jobs in such places as Shediac and Moncton. These are very specific examples of what the harmonization will do in the province of New Brunswick.
Again, I would like to ask how the hon. member can say in this House that the harmonization of the GST is actually going to improve efficiency and increase co-operation when provinces in the maritimes are blatantly against it.
I agree with the hon. member that a harmonization with a decreasing tax base would benefit the provinces and individuals but it has to be a substantial decrease in the taxation on individuals.
Furthermore, I would like to bring to the hon. member's attention that the government is actually nibbling around the edges on this issue. Since being elected the government has introduced 36 tax increases. What has been the impact of the 36 tax increases that his government has introduced over the last three years on people not only in the maritimes but also in the rest of Canada?