Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize that I am sure some of the money has gone to legitimate purposes, but very little of it. I do not know the exact numbers.
The Liberals have given one or two examples, that it has gone to some underprivileged people in our society, whom I agree should get government funding. I absolutely support that 100%. We are a caring and compassionate nation and it is an appropriate use of public funds.
What we are opposed to is building fountains in the Prime Minister's riding, the unconscionable grants that are given sometimes under Canadian citizenship, the grants that go into building hotels in the Prime Minister's riding. It is those types of grants across the country. That is what we are opposed to. That is the irresponsible, unacceptable use of taxpayer dollars.
I would favour the select few programs that they have brought up, maybe not under this program but under some other program that has accountability and is not a political slush fund. However it is the other hundreds of millions of dollars that are used for political patronage and to buy votes. That is what we are so vehemently opposed to.