Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago I asked a question of the Minister of Finance relating to the present dispute between Ottawa and Newfoundland as it relates to offshore revenues.
In June during the election campaign the Prime Minister came to our province. Having been forced by the other two major parties, ours and the NDP, to take a stand on revenues, the Prime Minister accepted an offer put forth by the province of Newfoundland and Labrador through the premier, Mr. Williams. The Prime Minister said several times, and it is in writing, that he accepted the proposal put forth by Mr. Williams. However, when the election was over and the dust had settled, no one wanted to deliver on the promise.
After all kinds of meetings and pressure, the Minister of Finance finally gave in writing some indication of the government's offer. They talked about caps and timeframes. They talked about the fiscal capacity of other provinces, particularly Ontario. There were several things tied into the deal that had not been mentioned before and were not part of Mr. Williams' request to the Prime Minister, which the Prime Minister said he had accepted.
When people became upset with this process and this approach, the Minister of Natural Resources was summoned behind closed doors and briefed on the issue somewhat. He should have been there from day one because not only is he the minister responsible for that portfolio, but he is also the minister responsible for representing the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. However, he was called in and briefed briefly, pardon the pun, and sent to Newfoundland to sell the deal.
I quoted him in my question as saying that there is no cap, that there is no concern about tying it in with the fiscal capacity of Ontario, that if oil goes to $1,000 a barrel, we will get all the revenues, that it does not matter about any other province or the fiscal capacity of anybody.
I asked the minister at the time if this was the government's position. The minister did not answer my question. Tonight I know the question will be answered by the parliamentary secretary. I ask him to forget about the prepared text he has been given to try to talk his way out of this.
I want to ask him, is it the government's position that the Minister of Natural Resources has been enunciating in Newfoundland and Labrador? If not, what is the government's position and why is it taking so long to get to a point where the Prime Minister delivers on his promise to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador?