The Budget  I remind members of the opposition that means tax relief for about 14 million Canadians. The president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said: “The biggest thing in there for small business was the income tax reduction. Putting more money into people's hands is good for the economy”. Another headline in the Free Press read: “Students' debt pains eased”.

Division No. 96  That is why the NDP has been calling for a parliamentary inquiry with full cross-Canada public hearings so the people of Canada can speak to elected MPs about their concerns regarding the bank merger. It is pretty clear from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business study entitled “Credit Where Credit is Due” that small business is pretty close to fed up with the treatment it is getting from the big six. CFIB president Catherine Swift told the Globe and Mail that “the proposed merger between the Royal Bank of Canada and the Bank of Montreal is worrisome to small businesses because they want more, not fewer financial institutions to choose from.

The Budget  They will not provide a meaningful boost to employment and will not do anything to bolster competitiveness....it fails to address Canada's primary tax problem—a top marginal tax rate in excess of 50%, compared with 40% south of the board. This is unacceptable. The president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Catherine Swift, responded that the budget would do nothing to reduce the unemployment rate in Canada. The Liberals say that we should wait for tax cuts. Effectively they are saying that the unemployed can wait.

The Budget  Furthermore, this was the unanimous view of analysts, people from the private sector, and representatives of the business community. Yesterday, I listened to the executive director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, who had this to say: “This budget did not contain any significant measure and no strategic plan for creating employment in any consistent and lasting way”. That was what Mr.

The Budget  It is a goal which has been pursued by many other Canadians, by the chambers of commerce, by the boards of trade, by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, by the C.D. Howe Institute, by the Business Council on National Issues, the conference board. The fact that this objective has been reached could have been, for all of us, a day of unqualified celebration.

Canadian Wheat Board Act  It is the kind of people, the kind of big business, the kind of anti-farmer interest that supports the Reform Party in all of its endeavours. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the commodity exchange in Winnipeg, Cargill, these kinds of corporations stand to gain by farmers' not having the wheat board on their side. It is time the Reform Party put its ideology aside.

Canadian Wheat Board Act  It includes Canadian Canola Growers Association, Manitoba Canola Growers Association, Flax Growers Western Canada, Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission, Western Barley Growers Association, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Canadian Oilseed Processors Association, Winnipeg Commodity Exchange, and Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.

Small Business Loans Act  I think it is incumbent on this government to actually ensure the incrementality type loans, loans for start-up ventures or for expansions that do not tie up the small business person's personal guarantee. That is supported by the 88,000 members of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Is that the intent? Do they want to approve other loans?

Small Business Loans Act  I would also suggest that we consider others who are talking about this program. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business strongly supports this plan. Why? There is no question that if these loans are available they will allow the organizations to grow. They will allow the communities which require services to have those services.

Small Business Loans Act  I spoke personally with thousands of small business people across the country, surveyed tens of thousands of them, as have groups like the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. I have never once encountered a small businessman who said to me that they wanted more big government handout loan programs. What I heard again and again from groups like the CFIB is that they want lower taxes.

Small Business Loans Act  Survey after survey shows that Liberal taxes are draining the lifeblood out of the economy and it is small businesses that suffer. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business found in its October 1997 survey that 80% of small businesses cited the total tax burden as too high. In its prebudget submission, the CFIB stated that tax levels continue to be the number one concern of small business.

Small Business Loans Act  The program is supported by the small business working committee which includes representatives of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Chamber of Commerce and other Canadian business leaders. It was also supported by the Standing Committee on Industry in its report “Taking Care of Small Business”.

Canadian Wheat Board Act  The list of member groups opposed to the legislation includes, to name only a few, the Canadian Canola Growers Association, the Flax Growers of Western Canada, the Western Barley Growers Association, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association. How much more does the government want? As well, almost 100 witnesses stood before the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-food to comment on its predecessor, Bill C-72.

Division No. 72  Most of the faxes that arrived in my office carried the identification of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, a well known farm group. What other bona fide farm organizations belong to this unholy coalition? The Winnipeg Commodity Exchange. I do not think I heard the member make reference to the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange.

Division No. 72  The Reform, like the Liberals, want a winner take all economy and they want to get there a whole lot faster. To this end we have seen the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange and Cargill rally behind the position or more likely lobby that position. We see the National Citizens' Coalition attacking the integrity of the wheat board.