Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have an opportunity to question the hon. member on a very specific component of his speech. He talked critically about the fact that we were spending money on strengthening communities. I was quite surprised to hear him say that.
One of the measures in the budget that my constituents were very pleased with was the increase from $500 to $1,000 for the tax exempt portion of income for volunteer firefighters.
The member may not be aware of it but in rural Canada, in communities like Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Parry Sound, fire protection is provided by men and women who volunteer as firefighters. Without that volunteerism, without the dedication of those volunteers, we would not have the kind of fire protection and safety we have in our communities.
It is positive and important for this government to recognize that volunteerism by increasing the tax exemption by 100% from $500 to $1,000. The recognition of those individuals is important. It is critical and it strengthens our communities. Why is the member against assisting those men and women who are the volunteer firefighters in our rural communities?