Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague's comments. What she seems to ignore in her comments is the reaction from all the financial experts, both at home and abroad.
Almost universally the reaction to this budget from everyone except members of the Reform Party is very positive. In fact, in many glowing terms we hear how the finance minister has turned the corner on this country's debt and deficit problem. Yet the member says there should be no credit for the finance minister. I would remind the hon. member that for nine years the previous government was not able to meet its targets, yet this finance minister has done so two years in a row.
Quite frankly a misstatement was made that $25 billion is the ultimate goal of the finance minister. It is not even fair to say that on the floor of this House. The minister has been quoted publicly many times as stating that the ultimate goal is the total elimination of the deficit and debt. That is the ultimate goal. The minister has made that eminently clear. The research by the Reform Party seems to be awfully selective on these points.
Now to my question for the Reform Party member and the Reform members heckling as I speak. If there is such concern and compassion in the Reform Party for this country's social security system, why did the blue budget plan, the so-called taxpayers' budget of the Reform Party-if ever there was a misnomer that is one-slash so severely the seniors' pension plan? How can that be offered as some concern for the citizens of this country?