Mr. Speaker, many Canadians are very concerned about the intent and misguided direction of the Liberal government's review of social programs, and rightly so.
The growing federal debt proves existing programs are financially unsustainable in the long run and the long run is now. The minister of human resources seems intent on tinkering with social programs rather than making real changes to put them on a sound financial footing.
For the government to simply rejig programs that are financially unsustainable is dishonest. It is immoral to force on to Canadians a package of retreaded programs held together with bubble gum and binder twine. Programs that collapse under a mountain of debt will crush the very people the programs are intended to help.
I challenge the minister to prove to this House and to all Canadians that his social programs can survive the ravages of a government that cannot balance its books.
The first social aid program that should be cut is an unelected Senate.