Madam Speaker, again, these are two very good examples of how the presentation of information would tend to lead to one conclusion because it is explained in a very selective way.
If someone has worked for some time during the year and would be off due to layoff or for whatever reason and qualify for benefits and receive those during the same taxation year, under our system of employment insurance now Canadians who make over $48,000 and also have received employment insurance benefits would be required to repay a portion of that based on how much income they earned over $48,000.
The Reform Party has just described a situation and talked about 60% tax rates and so on. Reformers are basically saying if someone made $60,000 and part of that was employment insurance benefits and they had to give it back to the government because they made too much money, that would be effectively a 100% tax rate. That is how they get these high numbers because they assume if one has to give back what they should not have received in the first place, it is equivalent to a 100% tax rate. It is the exact argument that was used with regard to the proposed seniors benefit.
The member raised a second item with regard to whether a million dollar taxpayer pays $500,000. He pays a 17% federal rate on the first $30,000, 26% on the next $30,000 and 29% on anything in excess of that plus 50% federal. If it is an employee with a T4 slip he or she will pay very close to $500,000 on a million dollars of taxable income.