Mr. Speaker, I am certainly pleased to rise on this question again.
On May 15 I asked about a program that the government invented to provide $175 million for rural roads in the west. My question was simple. Will the government provide a similar program for the east?
In the east we have an inconsistent hodgepodge of programs. I point out the inconsistency and the unfairness in the way the federal government provides highway dollars in Atlantic Canada. Newfoundland will get $105 million for highway money this year and next year alone. New Brunswick will get $102 million this year and next year alone. Nova Scotia will get zero, not a penny in highway money under a federal-provincial agreement. It points out how unfair the government's policy is toward the provinces and how it distributes the highway money so unfairly.
As a result Nova Scotia ends up by having the only toll highway on the Trans-Canada Highway in the entire country. It is forced to do this because highway money is not distributed fairly or equally. If we had some of the $175 million for rural highways that the government just announced for the west, or if Nova Scotia had some of the money that Newfoundland received or some of the money that New Brunswick received, we would not have a toll highway. Because the federal government is so inconsistent with their money, Nova Scotia ends up with zero.
In Nova Scotia we have damaged highways and dangerous highways now. The Tatamagouche to Truro highway needs to be completely rebuilt and upgraded. Amherst to Parrsboro is a mess. Ecum Secum to Guysborough is another important one, but the Amherst to Parrsboro highway is a rough road. We are trying to generate tourism business and they will not even come any more. When we look at the numbers they show such a terrible inconsistency, a terrible imbalance, a terrible unfairness.
Will the Minister of Transport change his mind and be a little more fair? I am not even asking for $175 million for Nova Scotia but I am asking for fairer treatment. The minister has given $175 million to the rest. He should give Nova Scotia a fair amount, something like Newfoundland received or something like New Brunswick received.
Will the Minister of Transport treat Nova Scotia fairly and allow us some highway money this year and next year in the same way as he did for Newfoundland and New Brunswick?