Mr. Speaker, I have heard enough from the Liberals today to assume that each one of them has been handed a little sheet of paper with a message that says if they are asked questions about tax transfers and cash for health care, they are to deflect, obfuscate and confuse and try to suddenly throw in a tax point argument so that Canadians are put off guard and the Liberals can somehow finagle their way through this one.
I suggest that all members read page 67 of the budget of 1997 where it clearly says that what matters for program spending is the cash. The government knows and we know that the cash is needed to hold provinces accountable to the Canada Health Act. How does the government intend to do that? If we roll in the meagre amount that is in the budget, the federal government is up to a 15% share of health care financing in the country. How is it going to hold provinces to account and stop premiers like Klein, Harris and others interested in privatization?