Mr. Speaker, in an interview on CBC radio, the Prime Minister tried to appease the wrath of the provinces by saying that they should take it as a compliment and a sign of trust that the federal government has decided to let them pay an additional $7 billion for health care, social assistance and post-secondary education. That takes guts, Mr. Speaker.
How can the Prime Minister have the arrogance to ask the provinces, especially Quebec and Ontario, to take it as a compliment that an additional $7 billion will be cut, which puts them in the unenviable position of deciding whether to cut services or raise taxes?