Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to address the issue of established programs funding in regard to health care.
The issue of established programs funding is of great concern to the constituents of my riding of Edmonton-Strathcona. While Alberta is battling its debt and deficit problem without increasing taxes, it is also doing it with less and less resources from the federal government. Since health care is Alberta's largest single area of government expenditure, I feel it is of the utmost importance to debate this issue.
In 1993-94 the federal government provided transfers of $40.5 billion to the provinces. The majority, approximately 71 per cent of these transfers, was for the established programs financing and equalization program. Out of this $40.5 billion, tax transfers were approximately $13 billion. It is the established programs funding, the tax transfers which I wish to spend most of my time discussing today. However, before we can discuss these transfers, it is important to look briefly at the equalization program.
Alberta has been deemed a have province. According to a recent study by a University of Calgary professor, it has paid in $139 billion more than it has received since Confederation.