Mr. Speaker, a very serious issue is weighing heavily on the minds of the Liberals. Committees have been instructed to study it. Consultants have been hired to develop solutions. Ministers and backbenchers are pitching ideas at every chance, all to save an industry that was once at the core of our Canadian identity but is now dominated by Americans and Europeans.
What issue is that? Is it agriculture or the farm crisis? No. It is professional hockey and the campaign to cut even further the taxes for millionaire hockey players and team owners. For shame.
Thousands of farmers cannot afford to farm any more, but the Liberal budget gave Canadian NHL players an average of $16,000 in tax cuts this year alone. By providing entertainment expense write-offs to buyers of corporate box seats and season tickets, we already subsidize pro-hockey teams heavily from the federal treasury.
The country has other priorities, like desperate farmers, medicare, the homeless, the unemployed and amateur sport. Why will the Liberals not stop being lackadaisical and start acting on these very important issues?