Mr. Speaker, I beg to differ. The member is very precise, but unfortunately inaccurate.
In the last budget, we cut government operating expenditures, we cut business subsidies, but we did not cut transfer payments to the provinces. We gave notice to the provinces that in 1996-97 we were going to freeze transfer payments at the 1993-94 level. I must say that the provinces were really thankful to be given ample warning.