Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to speak to this private member's motion, Motion No. 293. The government should celebrate and encourage Canada's magnificent and diverse culture by changing the Income Tax Act.
As the multicultural critic for the Canadian Alliance, I must start by saying our multicultural policy has been highly successful. It is viewed around the world as being one of the most progressive policies of countries that have people of different cultures living together. This of course allows an expression of culture, which is excellent, and promotes, like any other cultures, innovation and creativity. One would tend to agree with the motion because it recognizes diverse creativity among the artistic community.
A civilization's maturity is also reflected in how far it has developed its culture. Canadian culture is very highly respected around the world, be it the French culture, the English culture or the aboriginal culture. We have a diverse culture. Across this nation we see this fabulous creativity from artist from all walks of life. It is a matter of great pride and support.
We would like to support the motion wholeheartedly. However aside from the fact that we would like to support this cultural advancement, and we will support it, the difficulty with the motion is it asks that artists be treated as a special group. It asks that they have an exemption from income tax.
In many of the gripping notes I have received, mention has been made that artists have to struggle a lot before their work is recognized. I think that is a given fact not only in Canada but everywhere else. However to change the Income Tax Act to try to assist them in that way leaves us with this question. Where, how far and why only them?
I have a partial list of people with special status. It includes people with disabilities, caregivers, people employed overseas, people who have stopped earning an income, people who are buying RRSPs and so forth. It is a partial list but it is big. When we see the government using taxpayer money to promote its friends, like Bombardier and some other businesses, then one would not be surprised that somebody like my colleague from the NDP, who is from the artistic community, would also want that. There is nothing wrong in her bringing forward that motion.
We have had three private members' motions, particularly this week, asking for the same thing. As a matter of fact one of my colleagues, whom I supported, brought forward a motion asking for an exemption for firefighters. Then we had my colleague from the NDP asking for income tax exemptions for those who participate in sports. Now we have this. Where do we go from here?
The Canadian Alliance believes the solution to all this lies with having lower income tax for everybody, because every group, one way or another, has a need. A lot of seniors live in my riding. They face terrible times because of their fixed incomes. Calgary being a booming city, the rents are rising and so is everything else. They are having a hard time. Groups, such as minor hockey teams, are looking for some kind of relief. Everyone is looking for relief. How much can the pot be spread before there is nothing left?
In my party's view, a very simple solution to better address these issues would be to cut the unnecessary expenditures. Let us get rid of the boondoggles at HRDC and the gun registry. Cutting out the unnecessary expenditures would allow the Government of Canada to reduce taxes overall. Then every Canadian would benefit, be they in the artistic community, in the business community, anywhere.
An overall tax cut would give the initiative to all Canadians, including artists. It would meet the objective that my colleague has put forward to help the artists that need assistance. An overall tax reduction across the board would assist everyone, including single mothers. We seem to forget single mothers. Single mothers have a difficult time raising their children. They have jobs which do not pay enough. In my riding the last time I was out knocking on doors I came across many single mothers who had returned home to live with their parents because they could not financially make ends meet.
There are pockets of homeless people in our cities. To come up with a band-aid solution for this group or that group will not solve many of the issues. Why would we say yes to one group and no to another group? How could we differentiate between the groups? They all make a solid contribution to our Canadian mosaic.
The solution is an across the board tax reduction. That can only happen if the government controls its expenditures. If the government does not control its expenditures, then there is nothing we can do.
The same party that has put forward the motion has said that our foreign aid commitment should increase by 0.7%. That is a very nice thought, but where would the money come from? There is only one taxpayer and there are other issues to be addressed.
If the government reduced its expenditures, it would be able to reduce taxes. Then everyone in society would benefit, including the artists.
It is with difficulty that we must say we do not support the motion. It is not because we do not recognize the value of the artistic community; it is because we think a better approach would be a reduction in overall taxes.