Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the member's speech and I am a little surprised that the Liberals do not realize that ultimately there are two priorities when it comes to the budget.
First, they must put some money back into the transfer payments to the provinces to help them deal with their responsibilities in the areas of education, health and social assistance. A survey showed that 54% of Quebecers think this is the top priority. The second choice got 17% or 18%.
Should this not be the first thing to consider when deciding how to reinvest the federal government's surpluses? Another measure urgently required is to really make the employment insurance system an income supplement so as to put a stop to the impoverishment being inflicted by the federal government on all regions with seasonal industries, particularly in Quebec. That would ensure that the income of someone who is employed 20, 22 or 23 weeks per year is not less than it was in 1994 before the Liberals came to power.
Should those two measures not be taken expeditiously by the federal government to try and correct the impoverishment the Liberals have brought about through their budget measures and decisions thereby strangling the provinces and the unemployed?