Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I would like to say that hundreds of billions of dollars are going to be spent. If I were the minister in charge of the budget, I would welcome the opportunity to talk to the committee and explain all these great things—including, in question period, when she notably but somewhat inaccurately characterized what I said in the finance committee when I said the naming of the GST rebate was a “cheap marketing” trick, which I stand by.
It's not the GST rebate. Conservatives have, of course, supported the GST rebate at numerous times, including this time. In fact, we stood up and let it go through all levels and all stages and passed it so we could get the GST rebate to the most vulnerable Canadians. Conservatives will always be on the side of tax reduction and tax cuts.
I know the Minister of Finance is probably watching this right now with intensity and curiosity. I would throw the warmest of welcomes to her to come to this committee. I'm sure she can count on some strong questions, but very cordial and respectful questions, as to the position she has obtained and the position she holds in the Canadian government.
As I said, with the warmest of greetings I would request her presence here before the finance committee. We have invited her a number of times, including on the inflation study, and she has failed to appear.
Once again, if I were the Minister of Finance—and clearly I am not—I would for sure want to be in front of the Canadian public, just like the Governor of the Bank of Canada, who has responded to all of our invitations and who has been very open and forthcoming with this committee and not in any way afraid or nervous about talking to our committee, because he realizes that ultimately he's not talking to the finance committee; he's talking to the representatives of the Canadian people.
I believe that democracy really compels all of our public officials to talk and engage, even with people we disagree with. I know that in my constituency office, if I get someone who has a different view than mine I actually have them put at the front of the line because I believe it's through diversity of thought and through various opinions that we actually are able to grow and expand our own mindsets going forward.
Maybe I'll start getting into the substance of the budget as it were.
Mr. Chair, how long do we have resources for?