Speech From The Throne  The government did not address agriculture in that throne speech. That is a major issue for many hard working Canadians in the agricultural field and it affects all of us. It has neglected to talk about the airline industry, as was just pointed out by my colleague for Calgary Centre. It has failed to talk about immigration and the crisis happening in the broken system that became so clearly evident this past summer off the west coast of Vancouver.

National Child Day  The average family spends more on taxes than on food, shelter and clothing combined. This causes a great deal of anxiety and pain to hard working Canadians. This situation does not need to exist nor should it exist. When will this government wake up, get its hands out of the pockets of hard working Canadian families and give them their money back?

Employment Insurance  On behalf of struggling families I appeal to the government not to continue taking these dollars out of the pockets of hard working Canadians who are trying desperately to care for their families and make ends meet.

Taxation  Revenues have grown by over $40 billion a year. The surplus has never been bigger. For all our hard work, Canadian taxpayers get a health care system in jeopardy, increased student debt, high unemployment and reduced coverages, Canadian agriculture in crisis, east and west coast fisheries that are dying and no national highways program.

Broadcast Act  Speaker, I am extremely pleased to rise in support of a very important piece of legislation which is of concern to every hard working Canadian including those living in Quebec. I am speaking against the amendment because for too long Canadian pocketbooks have been gouged by big businesses whether they are major banks with exorbitant credit card rates, gas companies that have monopolized the market or, in the case of the legislation, cable companies that have been allowed to blatantly rip off honest, hard working Canadians.

The Budget  I would submit that in this budget the government has failed. Not only is it taking far more from the pockets of hard-working Canadians than is necessary, but it is also putting too much of a burden on those least able to afford it and giving too little and too poorly managed programs in return. For that reason I will vote against this budget.

The Budget  It is simply not entitled to it. Why does it not just give it back? One thing that really aggravates hard working Canadians is the war on the two parent, single income family begun many years ago by the hero of the Liberal Party, Pierre Trudeau. It is continuing today under this Liberal government.

Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act  Governments have no money of their own but they certainly make free with the money that we work to earn. This involves large amounts of the money earned by hard working Canadian taxpayers. That is the reason it is a very important debate. However, the government has decided to cut off debate on the spending of billions of dollars of taxpayers money under the bill.

Taxation  “If a solicitation for funds is received from Revenue Canada, keep in mind that the entire annual taxation scam originates not with it but in the office of the Minister of Finance. It is time that he was held accountable for bilking so many hard working Canadians out of billions of dollars every year”.

Transit Passes  But we do not live in a perfect world and we do not have a Reform government in power until the next election. What we have is a Liberal government that is taxing hard working Canadians into poverty. Let us look at the Liberal record. Income taxes under the Liberal government are 56% higher than the average of our G-7 partners. The average Canadian family paid about $21,000 in total taxes in 1996.

Tax On Financial Transactions  This may be hard to believe, but I cannot recall ever seeing an article or an editorial calling on the government to raise taxes or to bring in another tax. Yet we are discussing how we can take even more money out of the pockets of hard working Canadians. I have heard other members talk ad nauseam about James Tobin, the International Monetary Fund and the Asian financial crisis. I will talk about why introducing a new tax is a bad idea.

Employment Insurance  Why will the government not consider giving the money back to the people it belongs to, hard working Canadians?

Employment Insurance  Why will the Prime Minister and the finance minister not do the right thing and simply give the money back to hard working Canadians?

Canada Labour Code  This amendment speaks to the type of government this is. It is a government that seeks justice, opportunity and recognizes that hard working Canadians need to be rewarded for the work they engage in. The legislation would automatically align the federal minimum wage rate with the general adult minimum wage rates of the provinces and territories.

Employment Insurance  I ask the finance minister: Why does he not simply do the right thing, the thing he has promised but has not fulfilled, and promise today that some real tax breaks are going to come for hard working Canadians?