Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague's speech. We both serve on the Standing Committee on Finance. I found his speech extremely interesting, not for what he said, but for what he did not say. Based on discussions we have had, I know that he is a fan of classical economics, including Adam Smith.
The budget contains a measure he is not bragging about and that the Minister of Finance is not bragging about, and that is a massive increase in import taxes, customs tariffs. The Minister of Finance did not mention it in his speech.
It is important to realize that, while my colleague talks about a mythical, non-existent, invisible, hypothetical carbon tax, a $21 billion tax that does not exist, he is keeping mum about the fact that the government will increase taxes on imports. It will increase customs tariffs on more than 1,200 products from 72 countries, to the tune of more than $1.5 billion in the next five years.
I would like to know how the member can explain this action by the government, which will increase the taxes paid by Canadians by over $300 million a year. In addition, how can he justify the new classification of countries like the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezuela and Jamaica, which will now be considered developed countries for the purposes of the preferential tariff? I would like to hear the member's answer to these questions.