Madam Speaker, to speak on this bill to implement the budget is a challenging task, as it forces us to put in plain words the sweeping changes proposed in this budget, changes which will affect provinces with the largest percentage of underprivileged people more than the others, and Quebec in particular.
The federal government announced its intention to bring about deep structural changes in Canada and that is what it is doing with this budget, without any debate except for this budget debate. This budget is choking the provinces which are the worst off by reducing transfers dramatically. At the same time, the central government keeps making surpluses on the UI fund. Now, the government wants to retain the ability to impose on all the provinces common direction and principles.
I will start with this latter aspect. First of all, let me remind you that, as soon as this bill was introduced, the Bloc Quebecois denounced the excessive powers the federal government is giving itself with this bill, presumably to implement as required national standards to other social programs.
Since social programs are later described, in clause 53, as including programs in respect of health, post-secondary education, social assistance and social services, it is obvious that the government intends to use transfer payments to impose standards regarding other social programs as required.
Our interpretation was endorsed by many. But when the Official Opposition held an opposition day on the budget and Bill C-76, the Minister of Finance furiously criticized this interpretation. Strangely enough, to be able to criticize us for our misinterpretation, the Minister of Finance himself had to put forward amendments to his own bill. That is right, Madam Speaker.