Mr. Speaker, I was merely pointing out that I believed this standing order is broad enough and loose enough that potentially some abuse can exist. That was the point I was trying to make.
Earlier in debate the hon. member for Scarborough-Rouge River attacked Reformers, saying that we were misrepresenting the facts on how this government is moving toward a balanced budget. I believe the Canadian public is coming to realize that how the Liberal government is moving toward a balanced budget is on the backs of taxpayers.
Tax revenue has increased in the neighbourhood of $24 billion a year. There is a proliferation of user fees for various things that used to be provided for Canadian citizens. There is the downloading of approximately $7.5 billion to the provinces in reduced transfers through the Canadian health and social transfer. The government has been enjoying the lowest interest rates on the national debt in four decades.
If taxpayers and voters really analyze who is responsible for gradually bringing the budget into line they will recognize that they are. They are the ones who are paying and making the advances that have come.
It really galls me to no end when I hear government members saying it is because of the growth in the economy. Who has ever said that if we as a nation enjoy some growth in the economy big government should benefit by just taking more out of the economy to spend as it sees fit? It is the principle of the matter and I have great difficulty believing that principle is supported by the majority of Canadians.
This bill deals with a range of subjects, tax credits for individuals, child care expense deduction, deferred income plans, foreign reporting rules whereby people with assets overseas will have to report not only the income derived from those assets but the assets themselves to the government. It deals with a wide range of issues.
Earlier the member for Scarborough-Rouge River said Reform is not accurately representing the facts on the budget and the whole issue of bracket creep. People have asked me "who is this bracket creep and what crime has he committed?" They are really interested. They hear about this bracket creep and they wonder where they should direct their attention.
To try to explain it as simply as possible, bracket creep is what happens to a taxpayer in a certain income tax bracket who, because the government has failed to index income tax to inflation, finds himself moved up into another bracket.