“Quebec and the other provinces asked the government to increase health care funding to match rising costs. The government ran up a big deficit and spent money on many other things, but not on health care. I want to know why.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to know whether my colleague opposite is as disappointed as I am by her government’s decision not to maintain the health transfer escalator at a level that reflects the actual increase in health care costs. It has to be said: There was just one high-priority request from the Government of Quebec, and it was also shared by other provinces, namely an adequate health transfer escalator. Once again, the government has found a way to run up an incredible deficit. It had money for all sorts of things, but not for health. Why is that?”

“The government says it has a plan for clean electricity, but it only set aside $2.4 billion for it by 2030. It is also spending $22.8 million to weaken its own clean electricity rules to help gas companies. I want to know what the member thinks about this.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her excellent speech. I would like to know what she thinks about the fact that the government is claiming that it has an electrification strategy when it has actually only allocated $2.4 billion between now and 2030 for the clean electricity and clean technology investment tax credits. The government is weakening its own clean electricity regulations. It is going to cost the government $22.8 million to weaken a regulation that we have already paid to implement, all to please the gas companies and generate more electricity from natural gas.”

“This budget gives more public money to oil and gas companies, including a proposed $43-billion pipeline. I want to know if my colleague thinks this budget is good for the environment.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on the fact that the budget once again includes oil and gas subsidies and also provides for the creation of a so-called sovereign wealth fund, which is anything but sovereign, to fund major projects such as the proposed oil sands pipeline on the west coast. That pipeline would carry one million barrels of oil a day and cost at least $43 billion, much of which will be public funding. Does my colleague think that this budget is good for the environment?”

“The government is spending more money overall, but it is cutting health funding to the provinces and Quebec. Our people need care and our hospitals need repairs. Quebec only asked to keep its current funding, but the government cut it anyway. I want to know what my colleague thinks about this.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on something. How is it possible that a government can find a way to spend more money, much more than before, while cutting funding to the provinces and Quebec, particularly with regard to health transfers? It makes no sense. Our residents need care and our hospitals need renovations. We did not ask for transfers to be increased. We simply asked that they be maintained. The government has even shown a certain degree of contempt, going so far as to cut them. I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on that.”