Mr. Speaker, one could cover a lot of ground in commenting and rebutting the speech of the member for Calgary—Nose Hill. I will not speak about the CHST transfers to Ontario because I know my colleague from Mississauga South is champing at the bit to get into that debate.
I will not mention the fact that if Mike Harris in Ontario had reduced taxes by 25% instead of 30% on the first go-around, he could have topped up the transfer reductions that went to the province of Ontario. I will not get into that.
However I will talk about the tax cuts because I think the member opposite has her facts wrong. Yesterday in the House the Leader of the Opposition cited the example of Paul and Fran Darr, a retired couple with an income of $28,000. They were complaining about the taxes they pay. As I reported to the House yesterday, Paul and Fran Darr, wherever they are, will save with this budget 45.2% of their federal income taxes. I could go on and on with examples.
Let me give the example of a one earner family of four with an income of $60,000. Its federal income taxes will go down by 24%. Another example is that a one earner family of four with an income under $35,000 will receive more in benefits than it pays in taxes in the year 2004.
I would like the member opposite to contrast this with the flat tax proposal. I will give two quick examples, with the indulgence of the House. Under the flat tax proposal, solution 17 as it is called, a single taxpayer earning $30,000 would receive a tax reduction of 12% while a similar taxpayer earning $200,000 would receive a tax reduction of 39%. Is that not interesting?
As another example, a two earner family of four under the flat tax proposal, solution 17, with an income of $75,000 would get a reduction of 28% in federal taxes. A similar family with an income of $200,000 would benefit by 35%.
Could the member for Calgary—Nose Hill contrast the lack of progressivity in the Reform tax proposal? Would she be prepared to acknowledge the huge tax savings Canadians will benefit from with this budget?