Mr. Speaker, listening to the hon. member's comments, I wish to clarify our party's position on this motion. We are supporting this motion.
We believe this is an important issue that deserves discussion by members of parliament. Economists are discussing this issue as we are here today. They have been discussing this issue for months. I suggest that there are probably bureaucrats in the Department of Finance who are discussing this issue. As their elected officials, we owe Canadians at least that amount of respect to discuss the issue in this House.
I spoke to the reasons I am personally opposed to a common currency at this time. They are many of the same reasons the hon. member articulated. His party was the same party that opposed free trade in 1988. His party in the 1993 election in which he was elected opposed the GST. We cannot take the Liberals seriously.