Mr. Speaker, the budget announced a series of reforms that would consolidate transfer payments as a single payment-considerably downsized, by the way-the Canada Social Transfer. This announcement reflects Ottawa's disengagement from social programs financing. Instead of giving the provinces this much vaunted flexibility and autonomy, it wants to impose new national standards for health care, social assistance and post-secondary education.
How can the minister claim that his government wants to ensure that all Canadians have access to adequate services, when at the same time it substantially reduces its commitment to social programs by transferring its financial responsibilities to the provinces which already have serious financial problems?