Mr. Speaker, the hon. member mentioned hundreds of millions of dollars leaving our country, escaping taxes and not being available to our economy. I agree with him that it is happening. I think that points to the need for tax reform.
This bill is really only scratching the surface when we talk about tax reform. Although there are some good things in this bill, in reality this bill is an attempt to cover over the massive cuts that have been made affecting our social programs, our educational programs and our health programs.
We need tax reform to meet the education and training needs of our youth. When I say that I mean not just the youth in our affluent societies but I am talking about rural youth and youth in our small fishing villages. I am talking aboriginal youth who through historical wrongs have not been able to obtain the education required to compete in today's society.
Would the hon. member be in favour of tax reform that would incorporate for example an excess profit tax that would get at some of the astronomical profits that are being reaped by the huge bank mergers that we see today and by the large corporations, whereby some of that profit could be reinvested in our communities in a way that would help our young people obtain their education?
Would the member be in support of a true tax reform which would lessen the disparity that we see in society so that some of those tax dollars he talked about that are leaving the country could be reinvested in our youth?