Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my appreciation to the hon. member for Surrey Central for a very good speech on equalization payments, and on this particular bill. He has given both a political and a practical perspective to it.
Would he have any comments with respect to the overall picture, which is the need to provide adequate funding for the social services that are provided for our citizens across the country? He made some allusion to the fact that we agree with this, but I would like him to just reinforce that and to emphasize that the Canadian Alliance members believe we have to exercise a social conscience as we run the affairs of government.