Bombardier. The fund to help Canada's aerospace industry to continue its ascent into the top ranks among nations in the world is not a giveaway program. It is refundable and repayable to the federal government. This was a result of consultations which our federal finance committee undertook and suggested and the Minister of Industry adapted. I am very proud of this program. It means the success of our aerospace industry goes back to the credit of Canadian taxpayers through repayments to the federal government.
Is the member saying that he is against what we have done to protect and secure a dignified and secure retirement for seniors through our agreement with the provinces on the Canada pension plan?
He wants to renounce a deal made with the provinces including the province of Alberta, fine. He can go on record and say that he would renounce that deal. That is not the way we operate because we are prepared to operate in consultation and co-operation with our provincial counterparts.
Is the member prepared to renounce the type of co-operative arrangement we have worked out with the provinces in terms of the Canada child tax benefit where the federal government and the provinces will concentrate on children who are members of working families in the poorest income bracket? Is this what the member is talking about?
We believe this is a priority. These children living in the lowest income brackets need assistance. We are directing it to them in co-operation with the provinces to break down the welfare wall.
Does the member condemn our efforts and our tax cuts to help students by making more of their fees deductible and by giving greater tax breaks to parents who invest in registered educational savings plans? Does he condemn the fact that we want to provide scholarships to help make post-secondary education accessible to more and more Canadians?
One of our expenditure announcements in the throne speech which he condemns and which I am happy to stand beside is funding the Canada Council, giving it more funds to provide for arts and culture. I am very proud of our commitment to enhance Canada Council funding. I stand by it completely as do all members on this side of the House.
Does he condemn our program to help provide entry level jobs for young Canadians through our public sector internship program? We are giving work experience to young Canadians who might not otherwise have access to the workforce. It is a very valuable entry into the workforce.
These are some of the priorities we have set out. They have been the subject of consultation through the election. They will be the subject of ongoing consultation through debates in the House and through the finance committee.
We have talked about what we have done for young Canadians, what we are doing for our seniors, and what we are doing for health care in terms of increasing our funding by over $6 billion in five years to the provinces to help sustain the principles of the Canada Health Act.
Does he condemn what we have done in terms of innovation? We have given tax breaks for research and development in Canada. We created the innovation foundation to help restore the research infrastructure of our hospitals and our universities.
Does he condemn SchoolNet? We have helped classrooms to connect with all libraries and with everyone throughout the country. Canada will be the most connected nation in the world. It will have access to expertise and knowledge throughout the country.
I am happy to talk about our priorities for students, for young Canadians whose parents are among the working poor and who need a break. I am happy to talk about our steadfast protection of the Canada Health Act in the face of threats by the Reform Party in the last parliament which said we needed a two tier medical system.
We will not give in to their priorities. We will continue to be a most open government that consults with Canadians when setting our priorities. We will work to address the true needs of future Canadians. That does not rule out tax cuts. That does not rule out paying down the debt. These are priorities we have stated clearly and strongly.
The throne speech said that we would continue to be the government of fiscal responsibility. We are the government that brought the deficit down from $42 billion ahead of the schedule fixed by the Reform Party which called for a balanced budget by the year 2000. We will achieve that long before its target.
We will not take a lesson in fiscal responsibility from anyone, including the official opposition.