Mr. Harper committed to taking steps to resolve the fiscal imbalance within the next year. We are already in the next year.
Even if there is no consensus among the provinces, the federal government must nevertheless show its cards and say what it is proposing. Following that, the provinces will determine whether they will accept the offers or not, whether the offers are reasonable or not. Then we will be in a position to debate their scope. However, proposals must be made within the year.
I worked on the committee dealing with fiscal imbalance in 2001; it is now 2007. I am eager to wrap up this file and move on to something else.