Mr. Speaker, a lot of our debate has been around transparency and having the Canadian electorate understand what is being done in its name. I am holding this huge book. It is parts 1 and 2 of government expenditure plan main estimates for 2002-03. Basically it contains the documentation of the total government plan. It says “The expenditure plan overview, the Minister of Finance budget plan of December 10, 2001 sets out the government's expenditure plan that amounts to $172.9 billion”. That is what we will be giving final approval on tonight with a few snaps of our fingers. That is how much will be put through and approved.
The way many government members have been carrying on lately, it seems as if they think it is the government's money. It is not the government's money. The government does not have any money of its own. It takes money from Canadians, stirs it around and gives a little bit of it back, some in services and some in transfers. We need to be mindful of the larger issue here of what this whole operation is tonight. What we are debating is $172.9 billion represented in the book.
I would like to ask the member if he has other plans or ideas of how what is represented colossally here can be more clearly transmitted to Canadians so they can truly appreciate what is being done in their name.