Mr. Speaker, the minister did not make any reference to interest rates. I think we all know now that the excesses in the stock market which are largely in the high tech sector are being caused in the main by the banks, the finance companies and the mortgage companies extending too much credit to people who just want to speculate in the market.
The banks have created much of the problem and the higher interest rates that might come would of course benefit the banks that helped create the problem in the first place.
Would the minister consider asking the Bank of Canada to impose a special reserve requirement on bank loans that are taken out for the sole purpose of speculation in the market?