Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, if the British government is not confused, that is not what it is saying at the United Nations. So far, the Prime Minister has a history of flip-flopping on this matter. On January 25, the Prime Minister did not know if a second resolution was needed. Four days later, he said the first resolution was enough.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I can assure you that confusion is not just among all opposition parties, but Canadians and foreign governments around the world as well. I go back to January when the French and German governments were already complaining and calling on Canada to take some kind of a position.

The Budget  I like that one: a toothless tiger. Some of my colleagues have said that the government is nothing more than a northern pussycat, but I have difficulty with that because I like cats. I like my cat and, notwithstanding some of his weaknesses, my cat does not deserve to be compared to the Liberal government.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, the reason they forget is that those tax cuts were offset by CPP premium increases, airline taxes and a record GST that the Prime Minister brags about. Canadians know that most of the personal income tax cuts that the government talks about have been deferred well into the future.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, if we look at the tax relief in the budget for ordinary Canadians, there is not enough to pay for the rose that was in the finance minister's lapel. For months the finance minister went around the country talking about the need to control spending. He even said in this budget that he promised in the future to look at up to $1 billion a year.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government went on a shopping spree and ordinary Canadians know they will be paying. Canadian workers and families wonder why when the Liberals get to spend, spend, spend, they have to pay, pay, pay. They are wondering what is in it for them. Why is there absolutely no tax relief in the budget for ordinary middle class Canadians?

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, I heard the Prime Minister say he is thinking about calling an election. He might want to talk to the member for LaSalle—Émard about that. Before I move adjournment of the debate I would like to take the occasion to give my polite congratulations to the member for Ottawa South for the delivery of his first wintertime budget performance.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, I would ask the Prime Minister to do his homework and after 10 years be able to answer a question on this subject. Could the Prime Minister confirm that the former finance minister was not actually under the rules of a specific blind trust but had a so-called special supervisory agreement?

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was unable to answer the question I asked yesterday about blind trusts. He has had 24 hours to find an answer, so I am asking the question again. Is it normal practice for ministers to be allowed to receive regular private briefings about the business of companies they own?

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, I am simply asking what those rules actually are. Canadians have been led to believe that ministers of the Liberal government operated under a blind trust. Now we all know that the former finance minister was apparently allowed to know about his company's business dealings and sit in on numerous meetings concerning those dealings.

Business of Supply  I will repeat that the municipalities have made it clear that they are ready to build and to get these projects going but they would much prefer a process of funding that was much more similar to the gas tax fund that was not matching.

Transport committee  First of all, as I think one of us has mentioned already, any Canadian truck driver who is hauling dangerous goods into the United States right now is already security cleared--that would be tens of thousands of drivers who are already security cleared. But there are going to be drivers operating domestically who will have to be security cleared if this bill passes and we subsequently get regulations to put it into effect.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, this man is a minister of the cabinet. He should know the answer to the question. A blind trust should also be a deaf trust. Is it conceivably true that the former finance minister knew about the dealings of Canada Steamship Lines in Indonesia?

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period the Prime Minister received an important question about the operation of blind trusts which he did not answer. I want to ask the government this question again. Is it true that the blind trust rules of the government allow ministers, while in cabinet, to receive regular private briefings about the business of companies they own?

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, tomorrow once again the government will reveal that it is hiding away surpluses by overtaxing Canadians. One way it does this is through the GST which is bringing in now a record $30 billion. It is still a regressive tax. It is still costly for the government and business to administer.