Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are going to have a difficult decision to make in a few minutes. They have had difficulties so far. They first said they were supporting this budget and then they said they were going to vote against it which resulted in a good deal with the NDP. Now they are going to vote for the budget.
Those members are going to have to look in the mirror. They claim to be fiscally responsible and yet they will be voting against the most fiscally responsible government in the G-8 with the best record in the G-8, and the only balanced budget in the G-8. The government is providing the largest tax cuts in Canadian history. Can those members really stand true to their values and vote against that?
The few remaining progressives in that party are the ones who are going to have the most difficult decision to make. They are going to have to look at their future. This is going to be the largest watched budget vote in Canadian history. They are going to have to look at their future, not just in the short term but in the long term for the country.
Are the progressives in that party going to vote against the largest foreign aid package in history and against affordable housing? Can they truly vote against literacy? Can the progressives really vote against the largest environmental budget in Canadian history? Can they vote against health care, which is the first concern of Canadians? Can they vote against the advances for aboriginal people? Can they vote against renewable energy? Can the progressives vote against the northern strategy? Can they vote against the 8,000 soldiers and increases for the military? Most important, can they search their souls when they vote tonight and put Canada first or are they going to set the stage for the next referendum that could break up this country?
Every member of the Conservative Party should think carefully about the future of Canada. I ask them this evening to vote for Canada.