Thank you, Mr. Chair. The concern with this particular matter is not about it even being modest. The first thing is that had we not even raised this here on the floor today, then there would probably have been no disclosure to us that this increase to the cost of living was going to be coming. I mean, clearly, the Minister and the government are very well aware that the idea of the proposed land transfer tax a year ago was not publicly palatable. Simply, this is just a new angle. It is simply a new approach to cash grab. The Minister has indicated that is all this really is. It is just a revenue generator. Really, all you would have to do if you were just seeking to increase some money is just cover off the costs that it takes to administer these land transfers. This is basically a substitute for replacing the land transfer tax that we knew publicly failed.

You know, the Minister might continue to see this as being modest, but what he is failing to see is that the idea of a sugar tax, the forthcoming carbon tax, the airport tax, the lease rates that came out of his other department, Lands, the ongoing power rate increases, that this is another increase to the cost of living. We are a government that says that we stand by reducing the cost of living. This is just another factor that is going to tip somebody to that point where they just cannot afford to live here anymore. "Modest" is not the word that they want to hear. We are a government, along with the federal government and the municipal government, that is responsible for driving up the costs of living. The government, in my view, Mr. Chair, should be embarrassed as it relates to this attempt, this backdoor attempt at trying to hijack those who will disproportionately be penalized for selling residences and/or businesses in market communities. I don't need any further clarification. I know exactly what this is. The department should be ashamed for trying to attempt to put this forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.