Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Minister, and welcome to the committee.
Regarding the figures that were published yesterday, I would like to focus on two specific issues. My first question is about the reserve fund.
In the 1990s, the normal reserve fund was set at $3 billion. It stayed at that level over all that time until the last budget, when it was decreased to $1 billion. Now this fund is being increased to $6 billion. There is an $18-billion deficit projected for next year, and without the reserve fund, it will be $12 billion. In the following year, it will be $15.5 billion, and without the reserve fund, it would be $9.5 billion.
What led to the establishment of a $6-billion reserve fund? It went down to $1 billion, whereas the usual amount was $3 billion. Why was it not set at $2 billion or $4 billion? Why was it set at $6 billion?