Mr. Speaker, some of those comments hardly merit a response. The hon. member's personal attacks about my background notwithstanding, if it is of any interest to him or if anyone really cares, I am indeed a small business person. The problem is that while I am here in Ottawa my business seems to be getting smaller because I am spending too much time here. In any event, I found that comment to be somewhat irrelevant.
One of the real issues here is the access to capital for leasehold improvements. The hon. member says that I do not know what I am talking about. I would tell the hon. member that the small business community out there faces extraordinary capital requirements to effect leasehold improvements so they can increase their sales, so they can market their products and so they can do more business. The gentleman from the Reform Party says that is a liability?
It is not a liability. Without leasehold improvements many small businesses would simply not be able to function.
The mentality that is there is just trying to find something wrong with the legislation, rather than recognizing the fact, in a non-partisan way, that indeed the Small Business Loans Act has been a success. This bill will make it more successful, will refine it and make capital available to small businesses. Why does the hon. member not support that?