Mr. Speaker, I am confident that the member when he sees the budget when it is produced probably later this month will see that this government is serious about the deficit. We have given every indication in public statements by the Prime Minister, in statements by the Minister of Finance who has engaged in a very long process of consultation, longer than any other consultation by previous finance ministers. He has done so with a commitment to fighting this deficit and of course by implication the debt.
In terms of the debate about various animals there is a difficulty with the Reform Party's approach to government and we can talk about Animal Farm . There is a slogan in that book: ``Two legs good, four legs bad''. What I find troubling, with respect, about the criticisms of agencies which I heard from the hon. member for Elk Island is that all the agencies were lumped together.
If we actually look at the list of agencies affected by this legislation we see that some of them are essential. As I said before the National Archives of Canada advisory board decides independently apart from the bureaucracy what documents must
be kept. I am certain the hon. member would not want to entrust to the public service the decision on which documents generated by bureaucrats should be kept. Obviously it has to be private citizens with some knowledge of the subject.
The Canadian cultural properties export review board looks at the value of properties that are exported in terms of their value as part of our national heritage. These are essential boards with activities that are best done by private citizens appointed to these boards.
In terms of appointments we can see that these boards are being reduced in size. We are eliminating positions where they are not necessary. It seems to me that anyone would agree a lot of these agencies are essential.