Thank you, Madam Chair.
It seems to me, gentlemen, that we're dancing all around the key issue. When there are billions of dollars flying out the door at unprecedented, breakneck speed, people compromise some of the due diligence that used to take place. They also leave the door wide open for hanky-panky, political mischief, and political interference at the highest level. When we had Minister Baird here at this committee in the early days of the stimulus package, he sort of said, “Here are the rules: there are no rules; this is all brand new.” Now we find ourselves with serious allegations that certain municipalities are getting punished because they didn't vote for the ruling party. In the absence of any fair system, like a simple gas tax transfer on a per capita basis, it's like a lottery. It's more like one of those rigged ring tosses on a carnival midway, with the minister acting as the carnival huckster who decides who wins or loses. That's what we are wrestling with, gentlemen.
The leader of my party used to be the president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. From day one, Jack Layton was demanding that this money flow on a gas tax per capita basis, so that every municipality could choose its projects for itself and there would be no lottery system or sketchy new application system that gives all the power to the minister.
Would you have preferred a replica of some gas tax transfer model instead of this carnival ring toss that you're being subjected to now?