Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary in his duties should take some time to read a little of what the international economists are saying about the Canadian economy. It is not simply what
The Economist said a few months ago. They quote selectively from what some publications say. If they read the 1998 preview of The Economist
, it said that the current fiscal situation in Canada is largely due to the structural changes made by a Conservative government in the early 1990s.
That was free trade, the GST and deregulation of the financial services and transportation industries. I and other Canadians know where his party stood on those issues. They were opposed to free trade. They were opposed to the GST. Now they say they invented it.
It takes years for sound economic policy to have an impact. It takes a visionary government to implement this type of policy. Unfortunately sometimes the next government can take advantage of that sound policy. That is exactly what has happened. The Conservatives made the tough decisions. They made the visionary changes and the Liberals have taken advantage of it.
We will continue on this side of the House to bring forward innovative policy, much to the chagrin of members opposite. In four years we will have the opportunity implement it.