Mr. Speaker, I appreciate your direction.
The NDP supports the amendment to delete clause 241 because it calls into question not just the finance minister; it calls into question every single MP in the House.
We were elected to come here to serve the common good, not for our own agenda or our own benefit.
The finance department has put forward amendments which it says will accomplish two things. They will improve the 1991 residence rule by applying the same test to all foreign shipping companies whether they hold their ships directly or in separate foreign subsidiaries. Second, they will confirm the longstanding policy that the exemption applies to capital gains as well as to other income.
Concern has been raised because the finance minister tabled the bill and he has a direct relationship with a shipping company, the Canada Steamship Lines. At no time did the minister's department let the ethics commissioner know about the tax amendment and its relationship to the minister.
Earlier the Reform member for Fraser Valley said that the motivation to do this was because there is a connection to business. Even though it is in a blind trust it is important that business people make decisions based totally on good business. I disagree and say that decisions to avoid and evade Canadian taxes are based on greed.
We are not talking about a small business person with a little income who is trying to keep as much as possible to continue the business; we are talking about a multinational corporation which is evading taxes in Canada.
It really worries me when I hear members of Parliament implying that it is all right to evade Canadian taxes. As citizens we agree to pool our resources and then redistribute them for medicare, for education and for social programs.
When people evade taxes, those who can pay, and who pay a substantial amount—and we are talking about millions of dollars in taxes every year that will not be coming from Canadians—it makes it harder and harder for the rest of Canadians to make up for what we are not receiving.
It is really shameful that this kind of aspersion should be cast on our finance minister. I bring it back to the point that, as members of Parliament in this House, if an aspersion is cast on one MP it falls upon all our shoulders.
On that basis alone it is important to delete this clause so that the House of Commons can maintain a good reputation. People will know that we are here for their good, not our own or not for some interest separate from those of our citizens.
Although decisions taken by the Minister of Finance have an effect on all Canadians, it is still imperative that at no time should any public office holder appear to be in a position where there is any suggestion that they would benefit from their public office. Canadians should not be put in the position of thinking that we are all here as crooks or dishonest—