Mr. Speaker, I found the member's comments very interesting and noted them. I have been talking with people in my riding of Halifax East since the budget was presented and the comments I have been hearing about it have been very positive.
People seem to be very pleased about many aspects of the budget including the measures which deal with child poverty, in particular the working income supplements increase over the next three years from $500 to $1,000 a year. It will help low income working families take care of their children. It is a very important measure.
I found it interesting that members suggest we need to run a surplus. I understand the idea; it would be nice if we could run surpluses overnight and cut the deficit to zero and beyond right away. However that does not take into account the economic reality of our country or the impact that would have on individual people across the country.
To say we will do that without, as the Reform Party promised, bringing forth its own version of what it will do and how it will achieve those goals seems irresponsible.
Why is it that the Reform Party did not, as promised, bring forward its own proposed budget this year before the budget was brought down to say what it would do? What would that party cut? It is saying that it would cut far more than the government has cut so far, that far more would be required to be cut from the federal budget to reach a surplus.
What fees would the Reform party increase? What programs would it cut far more than has been cut already? Would it cut health care? Would it increase the cuts in transfers to the provinces? What
other areas would it cut? It is not telling us about those things which are so important to know and I look forward to hearing.