Madam Speaker, in listening to the hon. member's speech, I would ask if rural Canadians will not benefit from reduced taxes. Will the children from rural Canada not be able to attend higher universities, educational institutions, and have access to the millennium fund and the Canadian opportunities strategy in order to further their education and be able to compete?
This budget allows farmers and other self-employed business people to deduct premiums for health care. This would put them in line with other businesses. Do they not benefit from this type of initiative?
I also remind the member of the elimination of the surtax on incomes below $50,000. Does that not benefit Canadian farmers and rural Canada?
The member talks about rural Canada as though it were not a part of Canada, as though it were not benefiting from the initiatives in this budget. I want the hon. member to answer to that.
Students from rural Canada who are dealing with student debt will benefit from this budget.
I also want to mention that in my riding of Stoney Creek we have a substantial amount of grape growing and winemaking. Brock University put in place a university course for winemaking. Students in the rural part of my riding will be able to access, through the Canada millennium scholarship fund, education courses at Brock University. Do they not benefit from these types of initiatives?
Rural Canadians benefit from a balanced budget. Rural Canadians benefit from low inflation and low interest rates. The hon. member must stand in his place and admit that rural Canada will benefit from the achievements of this government. He may not agree with everything that we are doing but I cannot possibly accept the fact that he says this government has done absolutely nothing for rural Canada.