Friday, February 14, 2003 Mr. Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, NDP): Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Revenue said she could go to jail if she told us what she thought of a hockey team getting $60 million in taxpayers' money. I come from Winnipeg where we know firsthand the folly of flushing taxpayers' money down the black hole of professional sports franchises. My question is for the Minister of Finance, and he will not go to jail for an honest answer here, does he support the tax laws that bail out the Ottawa Senators to the tune of $60 million? To the Minister of Finance, yes or no? Ms. Colleen Beaumier (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I will repeat this again. Decisions on these matters are made in a professional manner based solely on the law. The minister has not now nor will she in the future interfere in any of these processes. Mr. Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, NDP): Mr. Speaker, after hearing an answer like that I think Don Cherry would agree we have to do something about concussions in this league too. We know the Minister of Finance wanted to help the Ottawa Senators. He picked up the phone to call a bank president to bail them out. The bank said no and it looks like the minister said yes. There is still time for common sense to prevail here. We are in sudden death overtime and it is called the budget. Will the minister tell us today he will put a stop to this corporate giveaway on Tuesday or will he just tell taxpayers to puck off? Ms. Colleen Beaumier (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what part of this the hon. member did not understand, but let me repeat it. Decisions on these matters are made in a professional manner based solely on the law. Let me reassure the member, there is not, nor has there ever been, any political influence brought to bear on these rulings.
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