Madam Speaker, it sounds like the parliamentary secretary is a little defensive in his comments today. I suppose he has every right to be defensive because he knows full well that provinces remain anxious about how the federal government is handling the files. Otherwise we would not have newspaper report after newspaper report, last week and this week, with provinces asking what is going on and asking why the federal government is not considering deals with all provinces that are in similar situations. Why would we have Saskatchewan saying that it wants the same deal as Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia? Saskatchewan says that it is good news for Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia and it expects it to mean great news for Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan says that the difference in the treatment of natural resources between jurisdictions is unfair. A similar deal for Saskatchewan, looking back over the past 10 years, would have realized over $4 billion for the province if the federal government had not taxed back its oil and gas revenues. Saskatchewan said that it has told the federal government that it expects the same treatment for its energy resources as what is being provided to Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. It says that it will tell the federal government until it receives fair treatment.
The government had an opportunity to resolve this issue many years ago. It was in the works. We knew that the present agreement was running out. It was time for the federal government to negotiate a new one. There was great agreement among the provinces. The provinces unanimously put forward a request for a 10 province standard that would recognize the volatility around natural resource revenues and the full inclusion of all provincial revenues and the calculation of equalization entitlement, in particular, revenue from user fees. That was all done, signed, sealed and sent to the federal government in September 2003.
A whole year after that, nothing happens within the federal government. Finally, we get down to the wire and it has to be locked away. The federal government put something on the table, for which there is no alternative. The province can take it or leave it. It said that it will do this for five years and renew it. Instead of coming up with a formula that works in perpetuity, the government once again comes up with a band-aid solution at the 11th hour that is not adequate and not fair.