Mr. Speaker, I certainly will withdraw that term. In terms of the thin ice I will be like the minister. It is something that mother nature will take care of in the next few weeks.
When the junior minister of finance admits on national radio that they cannot get rid of the GST and that the success they had is because of it, it reveals exactly how thin the ice is they are skating on over there when they are talking about their so-called financial success.
There is probably only one member over there, the member for Burin—St. George's, who would agree with every word I am saying. He campaigned on this basis in 1997. Anyway I think the truth lies in the numbers and lies in the record.
I want to examine three or four big issues. One is free trade which that side railed against. Another is the GST which that side railed against. Another is tax reform which we initiated as the government as well as deregulation. I am talking about financial sector deregulation, transportation deregulation and energy deregulation as in the elimination of the national energy program to benefit western Canada.
They have to stand on their hind legs and talk intelligently about what they inherited. It was not the horror show they love to talk about. Every time they get up it is quite interesting that the debt goes from $20 billion to $25 billion to $30 billion to $40 billion. This time next year the debt they inherited will be up to at least $65 billion or $70 billion. It just keeps growing and growing. As the story prolongs it gets more exaggerated.
I am proud of what we attempted to do and what we will be able to do when we take over that side of the House. I will entertain questions from my learned friends on the other side of the House. I look forward to it.