That's good, because I have to tell you we've been hearing a lot from, in particular, the Liberal opposition here with respect to debating the budget in public, and they seem to be moving in the direction of wanting more of a republic-style government in which you debate the budget and you negotiate it out in public, similar to how the United States does, because that allows them to then throw in their little entitlements, as we've seen in the U.S., which has gotten them into so much trouble.
I rack my brains, because in the mid-1990s I was actually in the Ontario government. I was working for a member of the provincial Parliament. I think it was the 1997 budget in particular. I remember sitting in my office listening to then Minister of Finance Martin deliver that budget and remembering with shock, to be honest with you, the unilateral cuts to health, education, and social programs that were made. I think there were $25 billion worth of cuts, and for the life of me I simply don't remember any advance press releasing of that, any advance knowledge to the provinces that it was actually going to take place.
So I'm a bit confused by their desire now for everything to be out in the open despite the risks that may occur. When I asked the Parliamentary Budget Officer the other day whether there was some risk in our system of people profiting from advance knowledge of what might be in the budget, he quite clearly said yes. I'm a bit concerned by the direction of the Liberal opposition.
Let me ask you this. Despite everything that's happened.... And I know it's kind of a difficult question, because things just happen. Nobody would have anticipated the problems we had in the auto sectors. Going forward, what are some of the key priorities for the department, assuming that nothing creeps up like the auto sector did?