Madam Speaker, the Minister of Finance tabled our budget for this year. There will not be another budget after the referendum. The message sent to the provinces is very clear. Many changes will occur, but we did inform provincial finance ministers, including the Quebec finance minister, of our strategy. We have an agreement with the provinces to postpone changes until next year-
-to provide an opportunity for governments across this country to change and to adjust. The federal government is losing 45,000 employees. It is with a great deal of sadness that we are making these changes and changing many of the programs. By definition, as we change programs it affects every single province equally. There is no doubt about that.
We expect that as the provinces go about their work they will have to make individual decisions as to the best way to improve the situations in their own province. It is not for me to guess whether it would include changes in programs, cutbacks or whatever. We will have to wait for provincial ministers of finance with their respective cabinets to make their own decisions and explain it to their individual populations.