Mr. Speaker, the member covered a lot of ground. I wanted to make a comment about the health aspects of the budget implications and ask him a question about his final comments.
He will well know that transfers to the provinces are comprised of two components: the cash component and tax points that were seconded to the provinces, which are basically the taxing authority of the provincial governments.
The net reduction in transfers to the province of Ontario under the Canada health and social transfer were some $850 million, whereas concurrently the Government of Ontario, the Mike Harris government, cut personal income taxes by $4.3 billion.
Five provinces have balanced budgets and have not seen fit to invest more into health care. Many of them are following the recommendations and the observations of the national forum on health which says that it is not a matter of money but of how wisely the money in the system is spent. Each province will have to look at that carefully.
My question for the member results from his final comments. He said to the people of Newfoundland that they would remain unemployed. He also said that there was no light at the end of the tunnel for them.
I do not think the government has given up on the people of Newfoundland. I am sorry the member has. A number of opportunities are facing us. One of the reasons members of Parliament are here is to work on behalf of all Canadians, especially those in most need like those in the province of Newfoundland.
Would the member like to rise and maybe withdraw his comments with regard to the position of the people of Newfoundland?