Mr. Speaker, let us look at the example. It is clear that when we took over in 1993 Canada was an international credit risk. The country was almost broke. We were paying $40 billion in debt payments.
What we did as the Liberal government was that budget after budget there was a surplus or a balanced budget. Not only that, we had one of the best ratings in the G-8 countries. That is what is creating confidence in the Canadian economy. The investors invest here when they see the stability.
Let us look at the interest deductibility issue. The income trusts issue is another one. The flip-flopping of the finance minister is not putting investors' confidence in our economy in stable terms. We have to make long term decisions that promote goodwill among investors.
I am not the only one saying this. We can see it in investors' magazines, which tell us that Canada is the second best country next to Denmark to invest in. We are the best country to live in, in the part of the country that I come from, which is the lower mainland in the Vancouver area. In fact, then, we have to provide the infrastructure, as I said earlier. That infrastructure has to be done in such a way that there is no controversy.
Let us go to an area like mine, Delta and Surrey. What are constituents telling us? Constituents are coming out and speaking against something that is in the media every day, which is the expansion of the board pushing the Pacific gateway South Fraser perimeter road through the Sunbury neighbourhood in my riding, as I mentioned earlier when I spoke of the Sunbury neighbourhood association. I am not the only one. It is those constituents.
In fact, the finance minister has to go out and listen to the people. He was in my riding talking to the Chamber of Commerce and he would not even take questions. He made his speech and just walked away. That is where the real conversation happens. That is where the real dialogue happens. That is where the real input comes from real Canadians comes into play. That is what restores confidence in the government and the way the government makes decisions.
I think there are lessons to be learned by the finance minister and the government, and in fact from one of its own members, as I mentioned earlier, who luckily is one of my constituents. He is giving input right here in the House and the government has to listen to its own members.