Mr. Speaker, when I spoke on the unemployment rate in Newfoundland and Labrador, Reform immediately told me that the smallest violin plays for Atlantic Canada. In other words Atlantic Canada should be cut loose financially from the rest of Canada.
My home province of Newfoundland staggers under an unemployment rate of more than twice the national average. Our net out migration rate is about 9,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador and we have a population of approximately half a million. Whole communities along the coast of Newfoundland have been decimated with nobody left in some of these communities but pensioners and families on social assistance. There are areas where I would support an increase in spending.
The have not provinces are in the position of where every dollar that is raised in resource revenues is clawed back practically dollar for dollar from our equalization payments. Therefore, I could support a renegotiation of the equalization entitlements for the have not provinces.
I would point out to the Reform Party that in balancing the national budget Canada eliminated about 15% of its federal public service. In Newfoundland before that process is finished we will have eliminated roughly about 30%. I agree that we should have balance in spending but—