Mr. Speaker, this is the first time I have heard a Liberal $10 billion tax hike as being nothing.
At the launch of the tobacco bill, the Minister of Health made a mistake. Twice the minister spoke ill about the effects of a particular type of tobacco. Twice he got his facts wrong.
When the minister was threatened with a libel suit because of his comments, he took the quick and easy way out. Instead of the minister apologizing himself, he passed the buck and forced his deputy minister to issue an unqualified written apology.
The minister did not have the courage, the integrity or the parliamentary morality to stand up and take the responsibility for his own words.
The minister alone is accountable for his actions and the actions of his department. When staff members are right, he is happy to take the credit. When they are wrong, he hangs them out to dry-