Mr. Speaker, I rise today to comment on the debate held on the proposed spending outlined in the 1994-95 main estimates.
Since 1969 Parliament's annual review of the main estimates has resulted in a pathetic total reduction of only one-millionth of one per cent of the proposed expenditures that governments have submitted to Parliament for its approval.
I would hope that my colleagues would reconsider their traditional practice of rubber stamping the government's main estimates. Yesterday the House authorized the government to spend $160.3 billion and will add another $39.7 billion to the national debt, without even considering modest spending reductions.
You would think that when this country is over $500 billion in debt that the government would welcome every opportunity and suggestion to cut its expenditures.