Thanks to our witnesses for coming forward. We apologize for the delay as we were sorting out our committee business. It's very good that you're here this evening.
I wanted to start with Mr. Buda and Mr. Vrbanovic on the issue of infrastructure generally. We heard testimony yesterday that we have an infrastructure deficit that was evaluated before the stimulus program at about $125 billion. But of course, as you know, there is an ongoing year-to-year stimulus deficit. In transit alone it's been estimated to be about $10 billion a year.
This is an important step. It's only a very small first step to what's needed to address the deficit on an annual basis and the overall infrastructure deficit that exists across the country--or the infrastructure debt, if you like.
If you could, I'd like you to speak to the issue of the gas tax transfer and to what extent that addresses the annual deficit, where you see the FCM's evaluation overall as to the infrastructure deficit generally across Canada, and what measures could be taken to increase the amount set aside in Bill C-13 to seriously address on an ongoing basis the deficit that exists in infrastructure in this country.