Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has made it clear that 50% of any future surplus will go into spending. There is compelling reason to make debt reduction and tax relief a higher priority.
I appeal to the government's supposed social conscience. The negative impacts of exploding debt and excessive taxation are felt directly by the old, the young, the sick, the poor, the unemployed and families.
These are the people the Liberal government is turning its back on when it says new spending is its number one priority. The interest on the federal debt is eating the heart out of social programs. Health care, education, employment insurance and old age pensions combined receive less than what we spend on interest payments each year.
Reformers believe social responsibility and social conscience demand that the Liberal government reduce the debt and cut taxes in the name of the old, the young, the sick, the poor, the unemployed and families across the country.