Mr. Speaker, first of all, there will be no cuts in the Canada social transfer concept. The transfer is a concept that will give the federal government a chance to maintain its transfers and at the same time give the provinces more flexibility.
I think the Prime Minister was very clear about this last week when he said, in referring to medicare, that it would put the federal government in a position where it could protect and also maintain cash transfers which, according to a timeframe established some years ago, will disappear if no action is taken immediately.