Mr. Speaker, the federal government is being asked to provide financial assistance to National Hockey League teams.
The major contributing factor to the financial difficulties of some NHL teams are players' salaries. The average NHL salary has gone from $250,000 to $1,250,000 in the last seven years.
Will the government give its assurance that NHL teams will not be given subsidies or preferential tax treatment? Will the minister not agree that the government has no business subsidizing wealthy professional hockey players?