Mr. Speaker, I enjoy debating the budget with my colleagues from the other side. There seems to be a great deal of misconception by them about what they are actually saying and about what Canadians actually want to hear.
The member talked about how we would gut programs. But look at the estimates that were tabled this morning. This very morning we learned that the Liberal plan for the Canada health and social transfer to the provinces involves a decline from $14.9 billion to $12.5 billion, a reduction of $2.4 billion. That is about 18 per cent that they will gut out of health care. They will throw a few peanuts back and think they are doing everybody a service.
We listened to the parliamentary secretary tell us about his deficit targets: 2 per cent this year, 1 per cent next year, zero per cent the following year. When I take a look at "Getting Government Right: A Progress Report", page four, table one, they are talking about a balanced budget next year. Mr. Speaker, I know you are rather sensitive about these comparisons but there is a clear contradiction between what the parliamentary secretary is saying and what their publication from this morning is saying.
I can hear it now. At election time they are going to say: "Hallelujah brother, we've got a balanced budget coming down the pipe. Vote for us". The smoke and mirrors and the spin doctors are at it already.
Let us find out how they are gutting business. Their figures from the estimates tabled this morning show a surplus of $6 billion in the employment insurance fund last year. The projected surplus next year is $5.6 billion.
The infrastructure program, which was going to create all those jobs, jobs, jobs was a $6 billion municipal infrastructure program
that put new canopies on town halls and built boccie courts and so on. They have quietly sucked out of business-that great sucking noise of jobs disappearing down the drain-$5 billion next year and $6 billion last year. That is gutting business.
I have a final point on the hypocrisy of this government. I remember December 11, 1995 when the Prime Minister stood up in the House and said that we are going to pass a motion in this House that says that "we recognize that Quebec's distinct society includes its French-speaking majority, unique culture and civil law traditions, and we undertake to be guided by this reality. We encourage all components of the legislative branches to take note and be guided in their conduct accordingly".
My question for the parliamentary secretary is this. Can he tell us how the motion passed by an order of the House is reflected in the budget and in the estimates tabled this morning?