No, not the finance minister. There is a system of bracket creep. When the Liberals got into government they refused to index to the inflation rate, even though they complained about it when they were in opposition and the Tories were doing this type of thing. It is a sneaky way to increase tax revenue. They complained about it very volubly when they were on this side. When they got over to the other side they recognized it was a way in which to continue to gather in more and more tax dollars from Canadians, $24 billion more annually than when they took office. They have cut $7 billion from the Canada health and social transfer.
In Bill C-93 they are talking about the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, an $800 million program over five years. They talk about it as though it will be the answer. They hold it up as the be all and end all. The fact of the matter is that hospitals have closed and highly trained and skilled doctors have moved to other countries because there are not the opportunities here there should be, due to their cuts.
They have cut $7 billion on one side but on the other side they will initiate a few small new programs. I suspect they will be highly bureaucratic programs. The Liberals are talking about a board of 15 new patronage appointments that will necessary to operate the organization. That is typical of the government. That too highlights the problems and the differences.
As Canadians head toward the next election the choice will to be increasingly clear. They can choose big government, big spending, big taxes, big bureaucracy, more and more government intrusion into their everyday lives, or they can choose smaller government, balanced budgets and lower spending and tax cuts. That will be their choices. It will be made very clear as we go into the next election.