Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest all day to members talking on this bill. It was a little humourous to hear some members talking about how Canadians cheerfully pay their taxes.
I was thinking about my last trip home when somebody opened a letter from Revenue Canada at the post office. They owed something like an addition $600. I assure members they did not say “goody, I owe the government another $600”.
I want to address this point in particular to the member for Ottawa West who spoke earlier. She said we need better service. I believe she used the word service about eight times while she was speaking.
Service has a connotation of servant. The IRS in the United States had to look at its whole department and say it has to become more humane in dealing with people. If there is one lesson that human resources needs, even if this bill goes through, it is to treat the taxpayers of this country with a great deal more respect than it does at the present time.
It is a fallacy beyond comparison for members of the government to say they handle people and it is cheerfully done.
I have caseload after caseload of widows and elderly people who get letters that are a disgrace. I have yet to see a letter from Revenue Canada that offered an apology to any of my clients dealing with that department.
Would the member for Prince Albert not agree that they need to take a lesson in public relations?