Madam Speaker, I listened with interest to the member speak about the money that was going to be pumped back into health care, which is certainly welcomed funding. I want to remind the member that this is the government that cut Canadian health and social transfers to the provinces from $18.5 billion down to $11.5 billion. With the money that is being put back in, it is going to take three years to get back to where we were prior to the cuts.
My question really has to do with the $3.5 billion that is going to be budgeted for in this current fiscal year, 1998-99, the one that ends March 31, but which is going to be proportioned out over three years. If it is going to be budgeted for this year, why is that $3.5 billion not being pumped in immediately in order to see some response as a result of the much needed money that is required? If it is budgeted for this year, maybe it should be spent this year.