Mr. Speaker, what a great question by the member for Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor. I am really thrilled to get the question because the member is failing to distinguish between a user fee at an airport and the tax proposed by the other member, which would be on iPods, smart phones, home computers, PCs and everything else, because all media are converging.
Often people in my riding and the member's riding and other ridings say that airport security is important, because they want to be absolutely certain that every person getting onto a plane has been screened effectively and that there is no threat to the plane. However, I do think the member would honestly agree with me that this additional cost, this additional security screening, these user fees that are being charged are probably best charged to people who are actually using the airport rather than being placed as a general tax on everyone in his riding.
Would the member like to see people living under the poverty line paying for improvements at airports? I do not think so. I think a user fee in this case is appropriate, but I would also say that an iPod tax is going in the wrong direction.