Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Winnipeg North Centre for giving me the opportunity to share with the House some of the work done by a man that I consider to be a Canadian hero. Mr. George Harris and a group of concerned citizens in Winnipeg tried to take this issue of tax avoidance to the highest level.
This occurred when a Canadian family moved $2 billion out of the country in family trusts without paying any income tax on that money at all. This was in complete contrast and violation to the existing rules. Somehow that family got an exemption.
George Harris learned that the statute of limitations was running out to appeal this outrageous shift of money by a Canadian wealthy family so that it would not have to pay taxes on it. I believe there was $750 million that the family avoided paying. Imagine the difference that could make in an inner city riding like Winnipeg North Centre or my own or anywhere in the country.
Revenue Canada turned a blind eye to it. The deduction was originally turned down by Revenue Canada because the honest people that process tax and follow the rules said this could not be done. However, the government let the family do it anyway. The government then fought it in the courts every step of the way, so that the statute of limitations would expire so that no one could appeal. That was project loophole.
I nominated George Harris for the Order of Canada for his work in project loophole. Mr. Harris is in Africa today working in AIDS relief to his great credit. He is a Canadian champion who had the guts in a David and Goliath situation to take on the Bronfman family and take on the Mulroney government that gave that money away. Mr. Harris took on the Liberal government that did not have the guts to reverse that ruling by Revenue Canada and tax that money to the same level that every Canadian pays taxes on income and capital gains. Instead, the government turned a blind eye.
It was outrageous and a black stain on the history and legacy of the government that it would not listen to a group of concerned citizens as they fought this through the Federal Court. The Liberal government put up 20 lawyers to every one lawyer that this citizen could bring forward in Federal Court to oppose and defend the actions of the government in foregoing the $750 million of money that was rightfully ours. It was our money and we let it slip away out of the country. The government turned its back on it and it was a disgrace.