Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government does not like the figure of $3.9 billion, which is the amount needed to correct the fiscal imbalance between Ottawa and Quebec. Not only the Bloc Québécois says so, but Quebec's finance minister does as well.
In fact, based on the study by the Council of the Federation, on April 12, Michel Audet concluded that the fiscal imbalance totalled $3.8 billion in round figures. He stated in the National Assembly that, “That is what we have asked for”.
Does the government intend to respond favourably to Quebec's request by making a commitment in the budget to pay $3.9 billion a year, and not a penny less, to correct the fiscal imbalance?