As my hon. colleague says, the government has stolen the money from them. There is no recourse. People in insurable employment must pay whether they like it or not. The government seems to take great delight in doing this. It has overcharged in premiums and cut benefits. It ought to hang its head in shame.
The government has reached into the pockets of federal civil servants and taken $30 billion out of their pension fund. Total assets in the fund had grown beyond expectation and it is not unreasonable to say the moneys should be taken back by the employer. However it should only have been the portion the employer paid in. The government totally ignored the fact that the pension fund surplus was a combination of the contributions of employees and employers who are the taxpayers of Canada via the government.
Yes, taxpayers are entitled to get some of the money back. I do not argue with that. However the government took it all. Federal civil servants who contributed to their pension fund had their money taken away from them by a government in a majority vote with no regard to what it was doing. Over and over we have seen the government's insatiable appetite for separating Canadians from their hard earned dollars. This must end.
While I support Bill C-47 in broad principle I do so reluctantly. I do not buy into the philosophy that says the end justifies the means. I have considerable hesitation in supporting a bill that would presume to reduce smoking by increasing taxes. The outcome, as good as it may be, should not be used to justify increasing the taxes of Canadian citizens.
In conclusion, I appreciate the opportunity to again speak to Bill C-47. The government will probably continue its policy of tax grabs and wild, unaccountable spending. I would rather exert my efforts in replacing them on that side of the House. Let us get rid of the Liberals and put into their place a responsible government that treats the taxpayer with a careful and fully accountable trust.