Mr. Speaker, the member gave an example of a family of four making $17,000 that he alleges paid some $2,000 in tax. For a family of four with only $17,000 of income in one person's hands, when we take the basic personal amount plus the spousal amount, that is $13,000 sheltered already. That leaves $4,000. On $4,000 the combined federal and provincial income tax is only $1,000. That same family gets about $4,000 of child tax benefits and GST credits which means that on a net basis the family making $17,000 actually receives over $3,000 in its pocket and pays no tax. I believe the member should check his numbers. Maybe he would like to table the numbers in the House.
He also made a statement about a family making $40,000 and that under the new flat tax because there are four people and there is an exemption of $10,000, it pays no tax. There is no exemption for children. It is for the spouses so there certainly would be tax.
He started off his speech by saying the government should have had a budget that would reduce the deficit. If the member looks carefully at the books, he will see that we have not had a deficit for four years.
Would the member like to clarify for the House why he is giving numbers which are absolutely wrong?