I don't know how long I have.
The member will appreciate that on the last question about moving from fiscal imbalance to fiscal balance in Canada, we will have to await the budget. That's not too far away, so we'll get to that before too long.
I'm trying to respond to your questions. In terms of the $3 billion estimate, that is an additional six years at $500 million a year, $3 billion. It's a straight arithmetical calculation.
On your question about the REITs, internationally REITs are being treated separately. In other jurisdictions that are comparable to ours they've been carved out and treated separately. We thought it was justifiable to continue that practice here in Canada with respect to passive real estate investments, which is what they do, as opposed to active, knowledge-based industry of the future of our Canadian economy.
With respect to what was happening in 2006 with BCE and with TELUS, these were very serious announcements. The member from Winnipeg North asked me earlier about when I was briefed and so on. As we looked at this issue in July, August, September, October, we had the TELUS announcement, which I believe was September 11, and the BCE announcement, which I believe was October 11. I had communications with these companies. I had directors of other companies saying to me, “Jim, you know what's happening out there. We're being pressured to convert to income trusts by our shareholders because of a tax loophole. And is that the right way to run our businesses?” I had directors saying to me, “I don't want to vote in favour of this publicly traded corporation that I'm a member of the board on. I'm an experienced business person. I don't think the income trust is the right thing for this ongoing operation, but the shareholders do, because they can get greater returns in that structure.”
So that is what was going on.