Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Beaches—East York.
As this is the first time I am giving a speech in this 40th Parliament, I want to thank all of the constituents of Mississauga South for electing me. This is the eighth general election that I have participated in. I have almost got it down. Elections are not my favourite. Campaigning is not my favourite. Serving the people is what most interests me. I think that there is a difference between being a politician and an elected representative, and I certainly prefer the latter.
I also would be remiss if I did not specifically thank my dear wife, Linda, and my family members who have over the past 15 years given me an extraordinary opportunity to pursue a career which I love very dearly.
It is a great honour to be a member of Parliament. I have a great deal of respect for this place and I have a great deal of respect for all the members here who were successful, and those who also ran but were not sufficiently appreciated. Our democracy is worth protecting. This is our system. This is the way it should work.
In the election, I made the promise to my constituents, and I want to share it with the House, to continue to work hard and to use my best judgment in a professional and responsible manner. That is the only promise that I made to my constituents, because if we conducted ourselves in this place in a professional and responsible manner, the public perception of our profession would increase enormously. We would be held in higher esteem. We need to work harder on this. I know it seems to have been lost, this idea of bringing more order and decorum, more professionalism, more responsibility, more maturity to this place, but we do have to work harder, even in the light of severe challenges that are facing our country.
Earlier this day, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance confirmed that thePrime Minister, during his year-end address last year, cautioned Canadians about the impending financial crisis. It has been known for a long time. Most of us would have received newsletters from investment houses reminding us about what happens when there are corrections in the market.
I thought it was interesting that the Prime Minister, despite the clear evidence, continued to say during the election that our banks are strong, that everything is going to be fine. Well, I understand politics and I understand that is what one says. But that same denial continues even today.
In the economic statement yesterday, there were budget forecasts which were looking at .3% growth in GDP in 2009-10, when virtually every private sector economic forecaster, the OECD, all had more pessimistic projections for that period. Why? Because it would allow them, by having more generous projections for the GDP growth rates, to show a minuscule surplus in the fiscal year in which we are currently in that ends next March, and a small deficit in the following year.
It is deceiving Canadians and I know it is because in the last Parliament we set up, under the accountability act, the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That Parliamentary Budget Officer is independent. That Parliamentary Budget Officer has access to all of the information from the finance department, everything that the finance minister has.
So, when I looked at the releases, et cetera, it was clear. The Parliamentary Budget Officer came out and said, sorry, but all of the fiscal problems that Canada is experiencing right now have nothing to do with the global economic crisis; they have to do with, and are solely as a consequence of, the actions of the Conservative government.
The erosion of the tax base, irresponsible spending and the raising of some $50 billion more in spending makes it the biggest spending government in the history of Canada.
That is how it has squandered a $12 billion surplus. It is also reflective of the fact that the Liberal government had a contingency reserve. It basically meant that once we got down to a $3 billion surplus, there was no more money to spend and it needed to be saved in the event that serious unanticipated issues beyond our control came up, such as SARS or BSE. That is why it was there. Otherwise it was going to pay down debt. If we do not pay down debt in the good times, we are not going to pay down debt when we are in an economic crisis.
It was clear. The Parliamentary Budget Officer said, “My goodness, I do not know what the Prime Minister is talking about. We have the same numbers but I know that the economic projections are not as rosy as presented to the Canadian people” and indeed in the economic statement.
I have a copy of the ways and means motion to implement the provisions of the economic and fiscal statement tabled in Parliament. What is not in the motion? There is nothing on the provisions about dealing with the funding of political parties. They have taken it out.