Madam Speaker, I would first like to welcome my friend from Kelowna back to the House of Commons. Over the last four years we had a lot of constructive debate together and I still feel that when we work in a constructive way that is when we achieve the most.
The member for Kelowna today wanted more of a public debate on where this surplus should go. I find it really encouraging actually that the Reform Party has now come to the conclusion that the surplus is within sight. I think we can honestly say that just a couple of years ago the Reform Party had very little confidence in our ability to manage the fiscal framework of this nation. I am glad to see that today we have basically received its endorsement on the basic trajectory or direction that we are heading in.
When it comes to the debate on the surplus, I want to say to my friend from Kelowna that we will be on opposite sides. As passionately committed as the member is to tax reduction, and I have done some work in this area, I am passionately committed to making sure that the human capital that has been through a lot of suffering, those people at the lower end of the income spectrum who have not had a voice in this Chamber for a long time, I am going to be with that voice. I am going to be with that voice to make sure the Minister of Finance keeps his commitment that was stated during the election.
I was elected in my community, which is a disadvantaged community in downtown Toronto, on the basis that we have been through a lot of belt tightening. There have been a lot of cuts. There has been a big ratchet on this sort of obsession with the deficit and there has to be a dividend to look after the people in our community who are the most disadvantaged.