Mr. Speaker, one thing about a debate in the House is that it gives the questioners the opportunity to put their concerns on the record, regardless of the fact that my speech addressed some crucial issues and some crucial areas that I was hoping the member may have focused on.
To respond to the fact that we as Liberals are looking to the long term, I think the member would want us to be strategic and to look to the long term. I think he would want us to live longer than today. The budget addresses not only today but it looks at where we came from and where we are going with the hope that with good, strong fiscal management and with changes in the economic situation we will be able to meet all the requirements that are asked and demanded of us at this time.
The budget responds to a whole series of issues that the member has overlooked. When the member talks about Liberal arrogance, that terminology should be used in some other forum outside the debate and outside the remarks I made around the budget we presented, which is a reasonable sound budget and one that meets the demands that have been placed on us as a result of September 11. It also meets the requirements of the issues that face us.
Members asked us for a budget over and over again in the House. I heard members ask when we would have a budget and why the finance minister was not bringing in a budget. We have done what is possible to do at this point in time.
I hope the member will settle down, reread, see the direction in which the budget is taking us and see that we are not shortsighted but that we can look beyond today.