Airport Security  Mr. Speaker, as I have explained on several occasions, we decided to implement a $2.2 billion tax. However, in the budget, the total cost of security was $7.7 billion. As the minister has said repeatedly in the House, if we find in the fall that revenues are higher than required, we will reduce the tax.

Steel Industry  Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank the hon. member for Stoney Creek and other caucus colleagues for their valuable work on this important issue. While the Government of Canada remains fully committed to multilateral trade liberalization, we will not stand idly by and watch as our market gets flooded with the world's diverted steel.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, this $40 billion surplus is not real money. It is not real. What is real, is that over the last nine years, the government has reduced premiums substantially, giving contributors more than $6 billion. And the government announced its intention to continue these decreases in the future.

Airport Security  Mr. Speaker, that is my official title but junior finance minister will do.

Airport Security  Mr. Speaker, in answer to the question, the idea that we will take in $1 billion--

Airport Security  Mr. Speaker, I have answered this same question many times. I do not think I will try to do it again.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, I must say that I was not in the House at the time and was not aware of that motion. However, I would commend the government for ceasing to support a Tobin tax because I think it is a pretty bad tax.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, what I said is that two-year forecasts are hard to make, five year forecasts nearly impossible, and 20 year forecasts, ludicrous. That is why the Liberal government has decided not to make five year forecasts anymore, since huge errors were made in the past. The federal government made a decision to plan over two years instead of five.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, I find it somewhat difficult to understand my colleague opposite. At one point, he told us that even three month forecasts were difficult to make and lacked credibility. Especially after the events of September 11, the world has clearly become more uncertain. First, he tells us that three month forecasts are difficult to make and now he wants us to accept the Séguin report with its 20 year projections.

Supply  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the Bloc motion. First let me say that the federal government denies the existence of any fiscal imbalance in Canada. Such a thing does not exist. It is a myth. Hon. members opposite from time to time trot out these new studies purporting to show that there is this fiscal disequilibrium.

Airport Security  Mr. Speaker, the user pay principle means that, over the next five years, users will pay the overall cost of $2.2 billion. It will not be the same every year but, over a five year period, that is the policy. If, in the fall, it looks like revenues will exceed costs, the charge will be reduced.

Airport Security  Mr. Speaker, as the government has pointed out many times, we feel it is fair that the users pay for $2.5 billion out of the $7.7 billion cost of enhanced security. As we have also pointed out many times, the tax will be--

Airport Security  --or the charge will be reviewed in the fall. In the event we find that the projected revenues exceed the expenditure, the charge will be reduced.

Airport Security  Mr. Speaker, I understand the hon. member is referring to the charge rather than a tax, but I will check into this. However it is my understanding that if a person goes from point A to point B and takes three different stages along the way, the charge is only paid once. I will check into it.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member ought to know that the 70% rebate was always the intent of the law. An effort was made to find a loophole. It is the government's responsibility to protect its tax base for the benefit of all taxpayers, and the school boards will continue to have the 70% rebate as was always the intention.