Madam Speaker, the member says the Reform Party wants to gut these programs. It is utter nonsense. We are saying that the funding for these programs should be frozen at the same level as it was this year, which is $13.3 billion. A $13.3 billion program is pretty healthy. We are simply saying that, instead of putting more money in it this year. By the way, an extra $2.5 billion was put into grants and contributions last year so this is hardly a program that is in peril of its life. Instead of putting another $1.5 billion in it this year, it should be put into health care.
What are the government's priorities? The member tends to give us the impression that its priorities are these grants programs. Government members talk about more funds being spent on that. I think the government is completely out of touch with the people of Canada.
The people of Canada do not want more grants and contributions so the government can use them for political purposes. The people of Canada are terribly worried about our health care system and about the fact that there is not enough support for it. Yet the government is blustering and puffing and blowing about a simple suggestion to free spending on grants and contributions, which is already fat enough with $3.3 million a year being spent on it, and does not want to put $1.5 billion into health care. I invite the member to explain to Canadians why another $1.5 billion into health care is so repugnant to him.