Mr. Speaker, we have succeeded in balancing the government's books and we are very proud to have done so.
As for provincial transfers, we have cut the provinces less than they have cut in services.
When account is taken of the increase in transfer payments, the increase in provincial revenues because of tax points, and the reduction in provincial interest payments because interest rates have gone down, the difference between what the Canadian government gave to the Province of Quebec and what the province is now receiving is less than the province cut municipalities.