Mr. Speaker, I am happy to speak in this House on Bill C-28, which is sponsored by the finance minister.
I will not read the bill, since it is so thick that it discourages most people from conducting a thorough analysis. And yet, this did not prevent the Bloc Quebecois from noticing clause 241 and its two small paragraphs which will amend subsection 250(6) of the Income Tax Act. The possible benefits for the finance minister, who is the sole owner of Canada Steamship Lines, an international shipping company, are obvious and yet do not represent even two pages of this 464-page bill.
This raises several questions about the government's and the minister of Finance's real interest in supporting this bill.
While Quebeckers and Canadians pay for the cuts that the Liberal government has been making since 1993, while everyone is tightening their belts, while this government continues slashing federal transfers to the provinces, thus directly affecting people, while the finance minister is boasting about having eliminated the deficit in his last budget without saying that he did it on the backs of the provinces, the finance ministre, in spite of an apparent conflict of interest, is sponsoring a bill that will give him some fiscal advantages.
The whole population should know that some members of the government are very generous to themselves. It is inconceivable for a minister to propose a bill which contains tax provisions favourable to his company. This is an apparent conflict of interest.
The Minister of Finance keeps using several arguments to prove his supposed non-involvement in Bill C-28. He argued in this House that his company has been in a blind trust ever since his appointment to cabinet, and that he would not profit in any way from this bill.
This may be true, but it only applies to the present. As soon as the minister leaves his position, the trust arrangement will cease. Not intending to use a privilege is not the same as not having the right to do so.
Obviously, we do not know enough about section 241 of this bill. The motions introduced in the finance committee by Bloc Quebecois members were all defeated by the Liberal majority, except one allowing the ethics counsellor to appear before the committee. This counsellor is an employee of the Prime Minister, paid by the government and accountable only to his employer.
Yet, the testimony of this witness only served to reinforce our arguments since he acknowledged that he was not an expert in international tax laws and was therefore unable to answer several of our questions. He went as far as saying that there might be an apparent conflict of interest and that, had he been made aware of the implications of section 241, he might have acted differently.
Therefore, it is clear to the Bloc Quebecois and the whole population that the Minister of Finance did not abide by the code of ethics approved by his government in 1994, which says that anyone holding public office should avoid being in a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest. In this case, there is an apparent conflict of interest and this is why I ask, in good faith, that the Minister of Finance withdraw section 241 of Bill C-28 while there is still time left.
As parliamentarians, we have a duty to our fellow citizens to improve their quality of life and collective well-being, not the right to use our power to our own benefit. Surveys show that members of Parliament are not well perceived by the public. After seeing such ways of doing things, it is easy to understand why.
The finance minister says he is innocent of any intention. However, in 1996, he introduced a bill in the House containing the same provisions as clause 241; however, that bill died on the Order Paper. In 1998, the minister came back and sponsored Bill C-28. How could he not be aware, as he would have us believe? How can a minister introduce a bill without knowing its content?
How could Paul Martin be allowed to sponsor a bill containing tax provisions that could be beneficial to his own company, considering he is not allowed to speak on the matter so as not to be in a situation of conflict of interest? In fact, there is appearance of conflict of interest and considering the importance of his position and the integrity with which he should manage the finances of the country, the finance minister should be clear of any suspicion.
This is a warning to the government. We asked the finance minister to delete clause 241 of Bill C-28 until the matter can be cleared up. He should do so as quickly as possible if he wants to preserve the credibility he has left in Quebec and in Canada.
My colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot has introduced another amendment proposing to refer Bill C-28 to the finance committee so witnesses can be questioned and the situation clarified. The amendment says that the motion be amended by deleting all the words after the word “that” and substituting the following: “Bill C-28, an act to amend the Income Tax Act, be not now read a third time but be referred back to the Standing Committee on Finance for the purpose of reconsidering clause 241.”
I support the amendment proposed by my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot because, in my humble opinion, it answers the numerous issues that the opposition has been raising for more than a month.