Mr. Speaker, last Thursday in the town of Aurora I hosted my post-budget town hall meeting to speak with residents of Vaughan-King-Aurora, hear their views on the 1998 budget and to solicit their recommendations for future fiscal and economic policy.
Participants favoured the budget's balanced approach to economic and fiscal management. They approved of the government's plan to put the national debt on a permanent downward track, to provide tax relief for 14 million Canadians and to make wise investments in key priority areas such as health care, education, youth employment, technology and research and development.
Residents agreed that a balanced budget is not an invitation for a spending spree and share the view that we should not allow deficits to threaten our economic sovereignty or our ability to chart our own future as a nation.
Last Thursday, residents of Vaughan—King—Aurora showed a great deal of confidence. They feel that as a nation we are into a new era, an era of optimism and expanding opportunities for all.