Mr. Speaker, as set out in the last budget, program spending by the government by 1996-97 will be at its lowest level as a percentage of our gross domestic product since 1951. We will be the only government of the G-7 that will have put into place an absolute reduction in its expenditures.
The minister of agriculture has just listed what we have done in terms of job creation which is fundamental. If our only objective is to reduce the deficit, the fastest way to do it is to put Canadians back to work. The minister of agriculture has just set out what we have done.
We will reduce the deficit. Let there be no doubt about that. However we will do it in a balanced way, one that does not harm the Canadian economy, one that gives our children a chance.
If we want anything different, we can take a look at the budget set out by members of the Reform Party this year: scorch and burn, demolish the country. They are so ashamed of it that ever since it came out they have refused to bring it forth and talk about it because they know it was a dud.