Mr. Speaker, I want to compliment the distinguished presentation from my colleague from Rainy River. I thought I should seize the opportunity just in case the opposition did not see the wisdom of this budget and the wisdom of the member's presentation.
We have to remind the opposition what the finance minister meant in his budget speech when he said: "We must never let the need to be frugal become an excuse to stop being fair". That sums up the essence of the 1996 budget. We have stayed the course of fiscal health while at the same time focusing attention on the needs of all Canadians. The government has demonstrated a caring sensitivity all along.
I liked the creativity of the hon. member's presentation when he used a concrete example. He talked about the savings that each one of us have on mortgage payments. I still have a mortgage to pay. Maybe members opposite have fully paid for their homes but I, like most Canadians, have not. Savings like these are real savings to Canadians and we must not lose sight of that fact. That is a mark of the government's caring and compassionate commitment to Canadians.
Speaking of another mark of the government, it was stated in the budget that there will be a health services research fund. That is a mark of the creativity of the government. It ensures that our health care system is the best in the world, not only in the quality of care, but in the efficiency and the effectiveness with which we deliver the system.
The hon. member for Rainy River told us about the attention, the focus and the commitment to the youth, the students and the seniors of the government. All are hallmarks of its caring soul. I
compliment the member on his excellent speech, seeing that the opposition hesitates to do so.