Mr. Speaker, I understand that for electoral purposes it is the job of the opposition to try to stir up dissatisfaction with what the government does, but I think a few facts would be helpful in this situation.
It was not contemplated that every province would agree 100% with everything in the budget; that is not the way confederation works. Of course with respect to the fiscal balance and equalization, the provinces did not agree even among themselves about what should be done, but what the government did was to put the equalization program and the transfers to the provinces on a predictable, principled, sustainable, long term track that will give closure and certainty to this important aspect of confederation.
The member opposite shows a lack of understanding of the budget process when she says that certain moneys were not transferred for programs. In fact, the budget is for a two year timeframe. Some of these programs are over a longer period. These amounts that have been promised for things like fighting the pine beetle had been fully booked and will be budgeted on an ongoing basis on the life of the program.
With respect to property values, this was an important element of moving to a simplified system with a 10 province standard. It was recommended. We took the recommendations of the independent panel which was set up by the Liberals themselves.
British Columbia is the single biggest winner on the infrastructure front, which will help the province deal with issues such as the need for water and dikes and other infrastructure. The province will receive almost $5 billion over seven years to deal with these issues. In addition, our total commitment to the Pacific Gateway will be $1 billion. These are huge amounts, huge wins to deal with issues in the province of British Columbia, where my hon. friend comes from.
The budget also provides $4.7 billion, almost $5 billion, for federal support for British Columbia for things like health care and the social transfer.
Our commitment of $1 billion to fight the pine beetle is fully booked. I might add, and the hon. member knows, that her own government did absolutely nothing when this problem came to the fore. In spite of pleas and cries from British Columbia to deal with it, there was nothing from the federal government under the Liberals. We put $1 billion on the books to deal with that important issue.
British Columbia is a province that is an economic powerhouse. It has a strong economy that is getting stronger. It is a major trade route for emerging economies in the Far East and the Pacific Gateway. It will host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games which will have economic spinoffs.
People throughout British Columbia should be proud of their province, proud of this great country, proud of the fact that we are working together with British Columbia to strengthen its economy and contribute to its future. This is something to celebrate, not to decry and to try to cast a negative light on, because under our government, British Columbia has prospered and will continue to prosper.
I might point out that under the leadership of one of the member's colleagues, the member for Vancouver South, in fact for the province of British Columbia, times were not good under that leadership. The province had to rely on equalization--