Mr. Speaker, although the federal government has managed to build up exorbitant surpluses by chipping away at the quality of life of the weakest members of our society, the Minister of Finance confirmed in his latest budget that his government will not give priority to combating poverty over the next five years.
Despite six years of social deficit and a surplus topping $130 billion, the Liberal government has made no effort to build new social housing.
This same government refused to improve the EI scheme, but it will continue merrily dipping into the surplus of a fund that does not belong to it without contributing a single cent itself.
As the new millennium begins, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the docile Liberal caucus have passed up a rare opportunity to make the fight against poverty a priority.
This government is leaning more and more to the right.