The Budget  The minister has been quoted publicly many times as stating that the ultimate goal is the total elimination of the deficit and debt. That is the ultimate goal. The minister has made that eminently clear. The research by the Reform Party seems to be awfully selective on these points. Now to my question for the Reform Party member and the Reform members heckling as I speak. If there is such concern and compassion in the Reform Party for this country's social security system, why did the blue budget plan, the so-called taxpayers' budget of the Reform Party-if ever there was a misnomer that is one-slash so severely the seniors' pension plan?

The Budget  However, Canadians are beginning to see through all this nice talk to the lack of substance within. Nowhere is this made more clear than in last week's unveiling of the Liberal so-called reform of MP pensions. Canadians were treated to the unseemly spectacle of government ministers flatly refusing to lose a nickel of their incredibly rich pension benefits.

The Budget  He mismanaged the economy and downgraded services, accepting totally the transfers from the federal government but not spending them within the province with matching funds. It has to be made clear in looking at the services that above all we are trying to make certain Canadians across the land get fair and equitable treatment.

The Budget  In Quebec we have always worked through dialogue, partnerships and in co-operation. To my mind, this is a very clear characteristic of Quebec and in this regard, my hon. colleague, you must have seen the numerous socio-economic summits held in all regions since the 1980s, you must have seen dialogue and partnerships develop between university communities and economic communities.

The Budget  What proposals did the member put forward in the budget last week to gut Canada's social programs? Tell Canadians about those. In not one speech in the House have we have heard any clear reference to those guttings of social programs proposed in the Reform budget-

Points Of Order  It is also clear that any question put is directed to the government. As such, it is my understanding and has been the practice for years in the House that any minister of the crown can answer the question.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. I ask the Prime Minister for a clear answer about his government's intentions on a question he was asked yesterday in the House. Will women 65 years of age and older lose their OAS because of their spouse's income as implied on page 58 of the budget plan?

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation  Her assistant is no better as a researcher than he was as a candidate in Ottawa-Vanier. The information she put forward is false. The government has given a clear indication of what it will do in the budget and that is to fix the CBC budget for next year. All the rest is invention. Mr. Manera has resigned because of personal reasons.

The Budget  It is like watching an elephant tap dance. The Reform Party has to be very desperate and it is quite clear it is so disconcerted by the very favourable reaction that the financial markets have given to this budget but it has lost its issue and is trying to make one up. There is no hidden agenda.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, we set out a very clear plan to preserve our social programs. The Canada social transfer provides us with a basis to do that. It provides us with the basis to do that in very straightened circumstances. I continue to have some difficulty understanding the nature of the question.

The Budget  Speaker, this is the second day in a row on which the leader of the third party has referred to apparent briefings or statements by unnamed Department of Finance officials. I think we should make the record clear. I do not know what the leader of the Reform Party is talking about. That makes me a fairly typical Canadian. The fact is that I am really not able to respond. I would like to respond to the leader of the third party's statement, but I do not know about the briefings that he is raising and that he raised yesterday.

The Budget  Speaker, when I met the provincial finance ministers before the budget and we discussed the changes in transfer payments, I told them I would be ready to meet them as soon as the budget was brought down. So the answer to your question is yes. In fact, I have already made that clear to the finance ministers. The Leader of the Opposition mentioned arithmetic. Well, there is a difference of at least one billion dollars between the figures quoted by the leader of the Bloc Quebecois and those quoted by the Quebec finance minister, so you will have to check with headquarters.

The Budget  Mr. Speaker, I would appreciate a clear answer. I would like the minister to tell us whether he will immediately call a federal-provincial conference to discuss how the cuts in transfer payments will be distributed.

The Budget  If there is any uncertainty, and in fact there is not, since the technical document published by the Department of Human Resources Development says this will be done on a per capita basis, and the minister says, on page 17 of the budget speech, that he will apply the same criterion-if there is any uncertainty, then it should be cleared up. Yesterday and again today, the minister said that he was ready to meet the provinces the very next day. Perhaps the minister would like to tell us whether he agrees the provinces should be summoned immediately to a formal federal-provincial conference, where he would clarify the issues and tell us what the repercussions will be for Quebec?

Vision Awareness Week  It is an annual public awareness campaign sponsored by Canadian optometrists. This year's theme is "Hope is in sight. Good vision and literacy: There is a clear connection". Can you imagine if all of us who wear glasses went without them for a day or even half a day? That would put us in the position of those I am addressing today. Many Canadians cannot read well because they cannot see well.