Budgetary Policy  It should lower payroll taxes through savings made through the UIC system. It should give serious consideration to the recommendation made by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and supported by the region's small business working committee to increase the small business tax deduction to $400,000 from $200,000. As I have noted before, this measure has not been adjusted since 1982 when it was first introduced and should be increased to the rate of inflation.

World Trade Organization Agreement Implementation Act  Yesterday an interesting item was reported in the press. Garth Whyte, director of national affairs at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, says that he finds it ironic that Ottawa and the provinces appeared to work so well together in Asia but cannot agree on bringing down interprovincial trade barriers back at home.

Budgetary Policy  We have a combination of federal and provincial government employees amounting to about 886,000 people. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business tells us that on average they are paid something like 20 per cent higher than similar private sector wage earners. What is the member's proposal to deal with that kind of problem?

Supply  It is the only pension plan for elected officials in the country that is endorsed by the Saskatchewan Taxpayers Association, by the Canadian Taxpayers Association, by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. It is even endorsed by the National Citizens Coalition, to which some people may not be attracted but at least it is endorsed in the sense of it being fair, equitable for both taxpayers and members.

Standing Committee On Industry  Small businesses operating outside their own provinces often have to comply with different product and operation standards. In 1992 a Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey found that 71 per cent of small business owners found regulations and paper burden to be an increasing problem. It is clear that with their limited resources small businesses face a disproportionate burden of compliance requirements.

Members Of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act  This is a plan that is endorsed by the Saskatchewan Taxpayers Association, the Canadian Taxpayers Association and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. It is a plan that is modelled after the Saskatchewan MLAs plan which has been in place for over 15 years and works very well for both taxpayers and members. It will end unfunded future liabilities of MPs pensions.

Budget Implementation Act  With an equally formidable problem facing the government in the form of our massive debt, Reformers do not see it as too much to ask that the public servants, who according to a recent study conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses are paid 14 per cent more than those people in the private sector with comparable jobs, accept the extension of a salary freeze. We in the Reform Party, in acknowledgement of this difficult fiscal situation, have tried as well within our own party and our own caucus to demonstrate some leadership in this area by taking a voluntary 10 per cent to 15 per cent salary reduction.

Party Fundraising  It is well known and enjoys widespread support from all sides, not only from members of the public, the vast majority of whom support this approach, but also from businesses. Oddly enough, a survey conducted in 1988 by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which had over 80,000 members at the time, showed that a majority of directors of companies and small and medium-sized businesses were also in favour of this type of reform.

Supply  Most of what I will speak to today is in the government's budget documents. I thank the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for also providing me with some information. There is also indirect taxation of business inputs that are not related to profits. These taxes are levied by federal and provincial governments and are paid by businesses when they purchase goods and services.

Federal Grants  Budgetary expenditures show the government is planning to spend $3.3 billion in grants to businesses in 1994-95 and a further $3.1 billion in 1995-96. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has recommended there be no grants to businesses. When the red book promised substantial savings can be realized in grants to businesses and when the CFIB itself does not want these grants, why is this government planning to spend billions of dollars this way in the next two years?

Budget Implementation Act, 1994  These are infrastructures this country needs badly and we need to work with. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said that this was a good budget and it was sensitive to the needs of small businesses. That is something we said we would do and something the budget addresses directly.

Budget Implementation Act, 1994  This is in reference to the cut in UI premiums by John Bulloch, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Even bankers have said that this is in bankers' language a good budget. Mike Chandler of the Royal Bank says that the market seems to have given the budget a passing to good grade.

Budget Implementation Act, 1994  The changes to UI announced in the budget will lower premiums and provide the creation of more jobs. As the president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said: "It is a huge incentive for small business to create business". In the recent past federal action toward the provinces appeared to be based on a strategy of sneak attacks, confrontation and denunciation.

Supply  How can we argue against a measure clearly designed to say to small businesses that by bringing down their cost structure, by giving them better cash flow and by reducing some of the burden placed upon them they will be given the incentive to go out and hire people? I met a week or so ago with representatives of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business which represents hundreds of thousands of small businesses across the country. They said that was one of the best things any government had done because it began to say to them that we would rely upon them.

Small Business  We are discussing better ways to help small and medium size businesses in Canada. The president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said it was a good budget and that he liked our approach. Therefore, you should listen to what John Bulloch had to say about the budget.