Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government keeps increasing the provinces' tax burden. In the past year and a half, we have seen the Prime Minister impose a new formula for health transfers, which means a loss of over $36 billion for the provinces.
The Conservatives also decided to once again impose prison sentences for minor offences thereby increasing the number of inmates who will end up in provincial prisons. Yet there is no financial assistance to accompany their new policy. Once again, the provinces are being left to fend for themselves.
But it does not stop there. As a result of the new regulations that restrict access to employment insurance, many claimants are being forced to turn to social assistance, which places yet another burden on the provinces, since they are responsible for managing this program. And that is not to mention the negative impact this is having on the economy of the regions, which have been hard hit.
I could go on, but my time is short. So let us simply hope that this government will listen to reason in 2013.