Mr. Speaker, the member had some pretty strong words.
Let me review it for the member. The year ended March 31, 1998 was the first year we had a balanced budget of some $1 billion. In the last fiscal year reported on it was $2.9 billion. In the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2000 we are looking at a budget surplus of some $2 billion.
When we consider the modest surpluses the government has, I wonder what the member has in mind when he suggests that billions and billions of dollars should not have been cut from the spending of governments. We would have still been in deficit. Unemployment would have remained high. Inflation would have increased. Long term debt interest rates would have increased. Canadians' mortgages would have increased. Car loans would have increased.
There is a balance and I will not deny that all Canadians have to share part of that burden. But let us be clear. When in government it is very important that prudence and fiscal responsibility are exercised to make sure that the changes we have made are sustainable, to ensure we are on a positive track to have continued surpluses, so Canadians can get the tax breaks they have earned, so Canadians can have the health care system they deserve, so that students can be taken care of, so that seniors can be taken care of and so that families with children can be taken care of.
Those are the objectives of a responsible government. I suggest to the member that the Liberal government has been a very responsible government.