Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to the comments made by the hon. member. She said repeatedly that the budget was tough. It is very tough indeed. To try to reduce the deficit to pay off our debt is very laudable. We must do it.
I represent the rural riding of Matapédia-Matane, where I recently met with some local groups. In my region, unemployment matched with employment security is the norm for 35 to 40 per cent of workers. I discussed the budget with these various groups. The students did not understand. They told me: "How can we possibly pay more for post-secondary education"? They do not accept that.
I also met farmers who have herds of 30 to 35 dairy cows. They told me that the situation in the region did not make any sense. The Liberal member who accompanied me has a herd of 225 milk cows, which is not quite the same. For farmers, the budget means a loss of $5,000 over two years, or $2,500 per year, or 15 per cent for two years.
I also met unemployed people. A former Liberal member, Mr. Bona Arsenault, once said that people were lazy. Let me tell you that people in my region are not lazy. They are energetic. They want to work. Given the opportunity to do so, they will work as hard as anyone. The unemployed are very worried.
Why is it that, by contrast, some business people do not seem very concerned. The hon. member referred to banks. The government will get $100 million from the banks.