Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would just like to respond to some of the comments made by the honourable Minister of Finance. Madam Speaker, first of all, I would like to assure the Minister that, as an ordinary Member, I am well aware of the responsibility that we have, especially in a consensus system, to take responsibility and participate in some of the difficult decisions that we know are ahead of this government and indeed other governments in this country, at this point in our history. At the same time, Madam Speaker, the Minister of Finance is correct when he says that there is a high expectation about consultation, but Madam Speaker, I don't believe that what the Minister himself has admitted is a bland paper, a paper with very little detail to it, a paper with
very little flesh to it, is adequate consultation. I think that the Minister must understand that, rather than shying away from participating in the tough decisions that have to be made, the hesitation on the part of Members on this side of the House, is that we simply don't have the detailed knowledge of departments, we don't have the detailed knowledge of the financial implications of various cuts and restraint measures to properly assess the implications of the various options presented.
I think that the problem here is that we are seeking a middle ground. Not, the extreme that the Minister of Finance has suggested would happen, where we would be presented with a fait accompli, where he would bring in a detailed package of restraint measures and take his chances in the House. That is not in the spirit of consensus or the spirit of consultation that we want, but neither is having a rather vacuous debate on a paper that is full of bland principles. I think what is missing here is that we would have liked to have some flesh put on those principle and on those options that were presented to us. With respect, that's what's deficient in this paper, it simply doesn't follow through and give us the concrete implications of some of those options.
That's the problem here, Madam Speaker. I think we would have liked to have seen a paper with more detail and more flesh to it. I hope that, as we work to face this crisis together, there still will be a mechanism developed whereby that kind of more detailed discussion of options can occur before we finalize the coming fiscal year's O&M budget. Thank you, Madam Speaker.