Mr. Speaker, the member across cites a number of statistics, but I want to remind the member that the last time his party was in power, it left an annual deficit of $43 billion, interest rates were at 12%, unemployment was at 11%, the GDP to debt ratio was 73%, and we were all left wondering what programs, what policies, and what initiatives caused this to happen.
Then of course, when the present Minister of Finance was in Ontario, he left a deficit of $5.6 billion, and we are all left wondering what policies, what programs, and what initiatives caused this momentous disaster for the province of Ontario.
Now we have this bizarre situation of the Government of Canada attacking the province of Ontario. My question to the member across, is this a policy issue or is this really an ongoing dispute that started in the Ontario Legislature that spilled over to this assembly and leaves most Canadians shaking their heads?
My second question to the member, as an Ontario member of Parliament, does he agree with those statements? Does he agree with that stance? Does he think it will help the workers and families who live in the province of Ontario?