Madam Speaker, the member repeats, I think, the sentiment of virtually all members here, which is that there is a problem and it must be addressed.
My concern is that the member is suggesting that this is a modest approach but that it can create some sort of stimulus. However, the motion calls for the government to introduce a bill within six months and then we would go through the whole process which could take over a year and may not even happen if we are interrupted by an election.
My concern raises the point that maybe we should also be talking about the need for the government to educate the public about the scope, the magnitude and the impact of the problem. We, the consumers, also have things that we could do to mitigate the impact because it is compounding all the other problems.
Maybe the starting point is to get Canadians to start thinking about the saying “credit cards should never be used for credit”. If an individual needs a credit card to get credit, that individual is accepting the high interest rates when traditional bank loan rates are much lower. If an individual does not go to a bank to finance something that is required beyond the grace period of a credit card, chances are that it means that person has bad credit and should not be getting credit in the first place.
We all have responsibilities. I hope the member would agree that we must push the government to help Canadians start considering their personal circumstances.