Supply  Mr. Speaker, as of July 1, by merely increasing the personal tax exemption, we took 400,000 Canadians off the tax rolls. I think it is extraordinarily important that we look at the future in terms of the 3% surtax, which came off last year, and understand that those are the simple things that the federal government can do in just taxation.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted with this question in that it is the reason when we are held accountable to international standards that we need the kinds of national standards that have come part and parcel of our new social union negotiation. It is only when we have strong national standards that we will be able to ensure that the provinces are not able to let down Canadians in the way I think Ontarians feel has happened in the government of Michael Harris.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, in this complicated federation it is extremely important that when the provinces have requested certain programs it is a collaborative effort. Now when we realize what happens with social housing, what is happening in terms of affordable housing and when we realize that there is going to be no way of ensuring food security when some people are paying more than 50% of their income on rent, we have to look at how we establish national standards.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, poverty, in a country as rich as Canada, is very disturbing for this government and for all Canadians. Unquestionably, we should not tolerate even one Canadian living in poverty. As members of the House well know, poverty is and continues to be a major preoccupation of our government.

Financial Institutions  Mr. Speaker, today the government introduced legislation that will allow foreign banks to open commercially focused branches in Canada. Can the Secretary of State for International Financial Institutions please tell the House what this means for the financial services sector in Canada, and particularly what it means for consumers?

Supply  Madam Speaker, this past summer being in Nunavut and recognizing the importance those people place on water and how important it is to their everyday lives and in terms of the international perspective they feel in terms of Canada's responsibility to make sure the world, the north and all the polar nations look after their water, I heartily agree with the hon. member.

Supply  Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Waterloo—Wellington. Usually when I speak on the identity of Canadians I find myself speaking on our health care system. Today I am pleased that I am able to speak on what is truly our Canadian heritage which is clean lakes and rocky shores.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a great day for Canadians and we now know that there will be stable funding for all our cherished social programs. We need one thing. We need the money. We want to know whether the Minister of Finance will be able to tell this House today when he will table his budget.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, it is interesting again that some of my colleague's suggestions are things that would be a national standard. We need to be on the international stage showing that we are sticking up for these kinds of things, whether it is child poverty or accessibility to university.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to talk today about health care but I am saddened that yet again we seem to be talking about turf. The motion is filled with words about turf and not about the welfare of Canadians. Words like jurisdiction, unconditionally, encroach and health care field actually mean that we refuse to discuss what is most important to Canadians individually but also to Canadians' role in the international field.

Science, Research And Development  Mr. Speaker, much of our future depends on the insights and the capacity for innovation of our country's young scientists and engineers. Since 1964, NSERC has singled out more than 100 researchers for the prestigious title of E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellow. These are 100 of our brightest and most productive research stars, individuals who have made a profound contribution to their fields and to Canada.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, people have always gone to the Mayo Clinic when there has been a conundrum up here and I think we will never stop that. It is important in terms of the choice of Canadians. The hon. member must remind himself that sometimes we see specialized care from watching ER or other American television.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to speak in three ways this evening, first as the member of parliament for St. Paul's, second as a member of the finance committee and third as someone who has fought hard for the protection of the Canadian health care system and who feels deeply that the confidence that Canadians have in that system is the most serious protection we have against the slippery slope to a two tiered system.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, as a physician in the province of Ontario I feel quite sensitive to the hon. member's comments in terms of the CHST having been the problem. We know the reduction in the CHST has had one-fifth of the impact on health care spending as the tax cut in Ontario. At the finance committee we heard from the Ontario Hospital Association: “The underlying problem is thoughtless mechanic tinkering with the system in nearly every province.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry. The opposition wants us to believe that the minister is in favour of higher taxes as a way of boosting productivity. Can the minister tell this House where he really stands on this issue?