Mr. Speaker, there are two comments I would like to make, just to wrap up. When we heard from the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance, basically he said that the program would cost an extra $6.5 billion.
I want it entered into the record that what he is not doing and has failed to recognize in my comments is that this bill would consolidate the current existing programs which add up to slightly over $8 billion and offset the cost of this program. Even if we use $6 billion as the cost, what he has failed to do in his budgetary planning is to recognize that those people who make $30,000 or more get $2.1 billion of the child credit out of that $5.2 billion. We must subtract that from the $6.5 billion.
With the lack of need to spend the $1.4 billion on future day care facilities, given that the present ones would be sufficient to handle the demand for the waiting list of 25,000 people, those would be additional funds that would be available. Although the Liberals now are not going to spend that money, which they promised they would in the red book. It looks like another broken promise from their election trail.
In summary, it is an important mathematical dollar item to consider. We have to consider whether the current system with six different ways of providing child care assistance in this country is sufficient. Is it meeting the needs of the people? My presentation today has shown sufficient cause for the need to address this. It is not sufficient.
There are some solutions. I have offered some. It may not be the total answer, but it offers a solution through consolidation and giving people the choice, helping to put the money in the families' hands and letting them decide how to spend that money. After all, they earned it in the first place. They should know better how to spend it, not the state and not funding institutions.
This government should consider a method of child care support and child care payments in its social engineering and its social package that would truly leave more money available for people. Let them have the choice. Also, reduce the overall cost. Despite what the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance said, if we consolidated this plan it would save this country $1 billion.