Hec Clouthier

[Economic Policy, October 19th, 2000]

I beg your indulgence, Mr. Speaker.

When the member wants to take a run at our Prime Minister—and our Prime Minister can quite easily defend himself—but when he starts to talk about $2 million and $3 million, which he has no proof of, let us look at the scenario.

The Leader of the Opposition gave over $20 million in grant money to golf courses, tuxedo rental shops and limousines in his own riding and over $14 million has not been accounted for. Let us not start taking a run at our Prime Minister because of something that he may or may not have done.

Let us talk about health—

[Economic Policy, October 19th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, talk about the beam, beam me up, Scotty. I do not know where this member just came from.

I do not know where to start. I do not know whether to call him a well practised prevaricator, because he is at variance with so many truths on this side of the House, or whether to say he suffers from selective amnesia. He stood up and said that he was going to tell the parliamentary secretary of finance where his party was going to make the cuts. The cuts under that party's flat tax plan would mean that we would have to make cuts of $25 billion.

I do not have the mathematical expertise of the hon. member for Elk Island. I am just a farmer and a lumberjack from the upper Ottawa Valley, but I have itemized this. He has $7.5 million, so he is only about $24,996,000,000 shy.

First, he did make a rather caustic remark about me being in harness horse racing. Yes, I am very proud of the fact that I have my licence for harness horse racing. I have probably seen more horses' asses than most people, so I know them when I see them. I am looking upon them now because if that party expects the Canadian public to buy its tax plan, it is treating the entire Canadian public like a bunch of horses' asses, excuse the language.

[Economic Policy, October 19th, 2000]

You need to drag it again, that's gone.

[Economic Policy, October 19th, 2000]

Tell us about the flat tax.

[The Late Right Hon. Pierre Elliot Trudeau, October 18th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, today would have been the birthday of perhaps Canada's greatest political icon, Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

I am proud to say that Mr. Trudeau and I share the same birthday, October 18. I am also proud to say that I am a strong believer in Mr. Trudeau's value system. He cared about all people. He cared about their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights and their civil liberties.

Pierre Trudeau believed that we could not grow as a country if we were burdened by old conflicts and old antagonisms of race against race, region against region, language against language and ego against ego. He inspired us to build a free, fair, just and responsible society. His hope and confidence, his compassion and decency, his understanding and compromise, his style, his intellect and his passion lifted his people and Canada to a higher destiny, a new plateau of excellence.

Thank you, Mr. Trudeau. You are one of the brightest stars in this country's firmament.

[National Defence, October 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as the previous member indicated, this weekend is Thanksgiving weekend and all members of the House should give thanks that today, as we speak, the minister is making an announcement concerning our reserves. Today we have dedicated over $42 million to guarantee that our reserves will have a strong and vital future.

We on this side of the House would like to congratulate those courageous, committed citizens of this country who participate in our reserves. The hon. member should know full well that we will do everything to guarantee our reserves.

[Leader Of The Opposition, September 21st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest when the hon. Leader of the Opposition said that one of his political heroes was the former finance minister of France, Anne Robert Turgot, who was the finance minister from 1774 to 1792 under King Louis.

Anne Robert one time said that the expenses of government having for its interest the object of all should be borne by everyone and the more a man takes advantage of society, the more he should hold himself honoured to pay for those expenses.

How in heaven's name is it justified that a millionaire, the most advantaged in society, would pay over $100,000 less in taxes under his goofy 17% plan than an ordinary person working at Loblaws? My goodness, gracious, Anne Robert Turgot would turn over in his grave as a mentor of this particular person.

[Income Tax Act, September 20th, 2000]

That was the NDP.

[Liberal Values, June 7th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as a Liberal I believe my community is bigger than Petawawa, bigger than the great riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, bigger than Canada. The world is my community.

A Liberal always looks ahead to the future and welcomes new ideas and new people without rigid reaction, recognizing the value of dissent and daring, and greeting each controversy as a hallmark to healthy change.

A Liberal cares about the people, cares about their health, cares about their housing, cares about their schooling, cares about their jobs, and cares about their civil rights and their civil liberties.

A Liberal believes that we must not be burdened by old antagonisms and old conflicts of race against race, language against language, region against region and ego against ego.

We must call on the strong Liberal values of hope and confidence, compassion and decency, understanding and compromise. Then, and only then, will we build a free, fair, just and responsible society.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2000, June 1st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, members opposite know very well that I speak the truth. That will be the end of what I am saying today because I cannot indulge in any mendacity from the other side.