Madam Speaker, if I should look happy, I am happy for the simple reason I am very pleased to get into something which is bothering Canadians, it is bothering me, and it is the future of this country.
I would like to refer to hon. members of the Conservative Party. One of them when speaking the other day referred to the lack of funding for provincial health care and that Nova Scotia was being forced into closing three hospitals. Members should fasten their seatbelts to listen to this record.
The premier of Saskatchewan knew what was coming in this transfer. We were forced to close 52 hospitals in one day. That is what happened. In my province because of the slashing of the federal grants to health care, people like myself—and I figure I am lucky—have to go 100 miles before they can get to emergency care. This is the worst we have had since the province was settled in 1905. That is what has happened.
This government has been riding on the backs of the people all over North America. It should not take pride and it should not brag about not being in a deficit position. It has done it on the backs of ordinary people.
I will refer to what may be the worst tax grab for the people in western Canada. We go to the gas pumps all across Canada and we fill up our tanks. Let us say that we put in 50 litres of gas. Bang, the federal government has got $5. Just like that, it has $5. Page 100 of the October Reader's Digest lists how much the federal government has put back into the highways of Canada. On average it is a little more than 21 cents. That is why we have toll roads in Nova Scotia. That is why in Saskatchewan we do not have any roads left.