Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for this question.
One of the concerns we have in the New Democratic Party is the same concern he has and the same concern the auditor general has, to make sure the abuses that have been taken with the SBLA program are eliminated, the abuses larger businesses have been instrumental in participating in, the banks in a co-operative sense helping them abuse the system. These should be addressed and terminated. That is why we want to see the bill sent to committee, to make sure these points are raised, that there is clarification and that there is no opportunity in the future for abuse to take place such as this. I agree with the member on that.
The NDP believes that a government has to be accountable, that a government has to be responsible and that a government has to deal fairly with the people it governs. We have proven this for 37 of 52 years in governing the province of Saskatchewan.
In Saskatchewan we have been re-elected time after time on these three principles because we do not just preach but we take action and implement the programs that Liberal-Tory-Reform coalitions do not support.
Saskatchewan had 11 consecutive surplus budgets under the NDP government of Allan Blakeney, no debts at all in the province of Saskatchewan, free dental care for children 18 years of age and under, the lowest tax rate in the country, the lowest unemployment rate in the country, an almost free drug prescription program in the seventies and early eighties.
We have seen the Reform style governments of Mr. Grant Devine take all those programs, eliminate them, drive our province into $16 billion in debt for one million people. Some Reformers in the House of Commons were supporters of Mr. Devine. They are now saying they are going to be accountable and responsible. I do not think one person in Saskatchewan believes that to be the truth.
The member for the Reform Party may not agree with this. I ask the Reform Party members from Alberta and British Columbia to talk to people from Saskatchewan who have experienced the Reform style government of Grant Devine which promised and implemented the same promises they are blaming for their economic solutions and who butchered our economy.
This small business Bill C-53 deserves full debate. It does not deserve silly games that the Reform Party like to play with it. Business is business in this country. Business is serious. Business supports families. Business creates jobs. It is my view that when this bill gets to committee we will be able to discuss this fully and have the Reform Party put forward its recommendations that Grant Devine put forward which proved to be total and utter failures.