Mr. Speaker, the hon. member refers to this billion dollar payment, or $961 million, as supposedly spent. The proof is that it is in the public accounts for last year. The money has been spent. The finance minister included it, against generally accepted accounting principles I might add, in last year's expenditures. It is there. The money has been given to those three provinces. For what? Why? The bill does not even come into effect until April 1. The finance minister is borderline on breaking conventional accounting practices and that is my proof.
In the House of Commons on February 11th, 1997. See this statement in context.