Madam Speaker, I would like to ask a question of the parliamentary secretary.
First we have to acknowledge that the government is no longer paying interest on the surplus, saving about $2.5 billion a year. Now it wants to take this surplus and bring it into its income.
What benefit will this give to the pensioners and to the employees, if any? I cannot see any. Apart from the Minister of Finance being able to brag about finding extra revenue, what benefit will this be to the taxpayers of Canada? Canadian taxpayers are not going to see the cash. Presumably the money is going to end up reducing the government's debt, which has been run up over the last 30 years. That is downright criminal, but nonetheless it is there. What is the benefit for the taxpayers of Canada? What is the benefit for the employees? Is the benefit to make the Liberal government look good?