Mr. Speaker, I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiments expressed by my colleague. The simple facts are that the finance minister left Ontario with a $5.6 billion deficit, that he is the biggest-spending finance minister in the history of Canada, that he has ramped up spending by over 14%, and that we are facing some economic turmoil, largely generated from the south. What was a $14 billion surplus is now down to something less than $2 billion. In government terms, that is just simply a rounding error.
First, I want to ask the hon. member whether he is concerned about this near deficit that the finance minister has been able to get us to. Second, I would like him to comment on the budget speech in 2007, which stated, “The actions taken in Budget 2007 will restore fiscal balance through long-term, fair and predictable transfers”.
“The long, tiring, unproductive era of bickering between provincial and federal governments is over”: does the hon. member think that is true?