Mr. Speaker, behind the highlights of the budget presented yesterday by the Minister of Finance lies the need to build today for the future.
As in past years, the Liberal government has made a point of saying that Canada must not return to the hell of deficits.
And so the Minister of Finance set out clear principles: maintaining sound financial and economic management; investing in major economic and social priorities that have a profound effect throughout Canada; taking definite steps to reduce the tax burden and improve fairness in the tax system; eliminating the budget deficit and reducing the debt burden to keep Canada's economy on a solid footing.
Quebec will receive $1.4 billion and $11 billion, that is 29% of all provincial transfers, despite the fact that it has only 24% of the population.