Mr. Speaker, sometimes I get a little frustrated with the presentation of members with regard to transfers. If members want to talk about the facts of health care transfers, they know that the cuts to the provinces were a lower percentage of provincial revenues than they were for the federal government. In other words, the federal government cuts to its own spending were higher than were asked of the provinces.
Members will also know that the National Forum on Health, an independent body, made the report that there was enough money in the system but the problem was how it was spent, the wisdom of spending money.
The member also did not say, and he should say, that the transfers to the provinces were not just cash. There are tax points. Even under the old system, as growth in the economy occurred and the provinces were able to generate more money through income tax revenue, the amount of cash was going down. We have to take into account how much the cash transfers would go down as a result of economic growth and increased tax revenues to the provinces.
There is no question that there was a cut, but the member will also have to recognize that the delivery of health care in Canada is through the provinces. We have provinces such as my own province of Ontario that decided to give 15% income tax cuts and at the same time cut health care.
Where are the priorities of the province of Ontario? I know the priorities of Mike Harris. Mike Harris wants to buy an election. He cut health care. He cut it badly. It reflected on services and I am not denying that, but the provinces have a responsibility to deliver health care and Mike Harris did not do it.