Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill C-49, the budget implementation act.
Today is the six month anniversary of the September 11 tragic attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. The world is a very different place from what it was just six months ago. Those brutal attacks changed how we look at our security and our relationship with the rest of the civilized world.
After the horror and grief our thoughts turned to broader concerns. Canadians were understandably asking questions about our national security in the wake of those terrible events. Moreover they were worried about the possibility of repercussions on the Canadian economy. While we were not a target of the attack we saw how easily it could happen and how vulnerable we all were. The attacks could come from anywhere, be launched from anywhere, and take us by complete surprise.
It would have been easy to surrender to fear and shut our borders. Because of the terror experienced on September 11 we knew it was essential to restore a sense of personal security for Canadians. We knew something had to be done. It did not mean closing our borders. Our borders are the arteries that feed our economy and our prosperity.
I believe that the Liberal government acted quickly but not impulsively or irrationally.
The budget, dubbed a security budget, was not focused on raising bridges to the outside world or on isolating ourselves from the rest of the civilized world. The budget was aimed at making us better at determining where the threats would come from and to try to stop them before they could cause the sorrow and destruction experienced by our neighbours.
Beefing up security did not mean spending money to build walls but it meant investing wisely to determine who were our friends and who were our enemies. Budget 2001 earmarked $1.2 billion for border security. More than $600 million would buy new equipment to help customs officers detect explosives and other dangerous materials while still allowing people and goods to move smoothly.
The added funds would enhance our ability to respond to any unconventional attack, to improve our emergency preparedness and increase support for the military. Additional funds would go the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP for intelligence and policing. The screening of new arrivals would be enhanced. In addition, the funds allocated would buy new information-sharing technology that would help Canada and American border authorities screen travellers at airports and other border entry points that line our 4,000 mile frontier.
My riding of Niagara Falls is a border riding where enormous amounts of goods move between Canada and the Untied States each day. Great numbers of my constituents depend upon the safe, secure and fast movement of people and goods. Many of my constituents feed their families and build their homes and dreams from trade with our great ally, the United States.
In December 2001 I accompanied the Minister of National Revenue to Washington, D.C. There I met with the head of U.S. customs to ensure that the fear and anger that was generated by the kamikaze-like attacks of September 11 would not result in the closure of our borders. The results of a move like that would only make all of us poorer.
Canadians want smarter borders that would maintain our prosperity and build a sense of security in all of us, borders that would tell our greatest trading partner that we are its best defence. More secure borders mean better roads and bridges.
In this budget the government has created a $600 million program to improve the nation's infrastructure that supports major border crossings.
However the budget is not just about security. It is also about the well-being of Canadians. Lately there have been those who say the federal government is not doing enough to ensure health care for Canadians. Budget 2001 confirms that the publicly funded health care system reflects more than ever the fundamental values shared by all Canadians.
This budget confirms that the $23.4 billion in funding to support the health and early childhood development agreements reached by the first ministers in September 2000 would be fully protected notwithstanding the economic instability that we experienced at the time of the budget. Reinvesting in health care has been the number one priority of our government since balancing the budget. Provinces are receiving $2.8 billion more in social transfers. Next year the increase would rise to $3.6 billion and these amounts would keep growing.
I take this opportunity to remind those who insist that the Government of Canada is not doing its part when it comes to health care that by the year 2005-06 the Canada health and social cash transfer would increase by $5.5 billion. This is a 35% increase over the 2000-01 levels. By then the total cash transfer to the provinces would reach $40 billion. The federal involvement in health care includes not only health services but also health information and health related research and innovation.
This budget would strengthen the federal government's contribution to Canada's social health care system by providing $95 million to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Those who claim that the Government of Canada is not doing enough conveniently forget all about this. They forget that budget 2001 would provide a $75 million increase to the annual budget of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Budget 2001 would ensure that the environment remains a priority. Both the green municipal enabling funds and the green municipal investment fund would have their funding doubled in this budget by $25 million and $150 million respectively. Our commitment and resolve to balanced budgets did not change. Budget 2001 is a balanced budget and we foresee balancing the budget for the next two years as well.
This budget would protect the tax cuts as well as the health and early childhood development agreements with the provinces. The government's sound fiscal management would result in a falling debt to GDP ratio. Next year for the first time in 17 years it would fall below the 50% mark. This is an achievement.
At the same time the government would increase program spending for the year 2001-02. Seventy-five per cent of that program spending would be earmarked for health care, security, employment, insurance benefits and the elderly. Budget 2001 shows how our country is committed to the global campaign against terrorism. With the measures announced in this budget Canada has demonstrated its solidarity with the United States and has pledged its support. However, the government will continue to work hard to manage our economy, to ensure a safe society and to improve the quality of life for Canadians.
Canada has been transformed economically since the Liberal government took office in 1993. We are now facing unforeseen and enormous fiscal pressures. The good news is that, thanks to the efforts of Canadians, our country is well positioned to withstand these pressures and to enjoy renewed growth in the next year. We plan to do this by keeping Canada safe, terrorists out and our borders open.
