Mr. Speaker, I will certainly not deny the need for the members of a federation to help one another out. In the coming years, the Government of Canada will increase transfers to the provinces by 7.3% annually. A Conference Board study predicts a growth rate of 5.3% annually for health care expenditures for the provinces. If we are able to do more, we will. There is no doubt, however, that the best way for the federal government to help the provinces is to never go back into deficit.
In the House of Commons on April 30th, 2003. See this statement in context.