Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to applaud Mr. Blaikie's dedication and his always important contribution to the work of the committee and the House. He approaches issues in a thoughtful, progressive way and often comes up with solutions that lead to consensus.
On NDP‑4, his party and mine have diametrically opposed views. In our view, the money going to the province and the federal government comes from the same taxpayer. When a province spends money on a matter within its jurisdiction, it doesn't need to answer to the federal government, as far as I'm concerned. There is no hierarchy among the levels of government. The federal government is not above Quebec or the provinces.
Therefore, we object to the increased paperwork and control Ottawa wants to impose on Quebec and the provinces. We have total confidence in the governments elected by the citizens of each province. In our opinion, taxpayers are satisfied with paying 50¢ to the province and 50¢ to Ottawa for a given expenditure. For that reason, I will be voting against the NDP's amendment, even though I do want to say what a privilege it is to work alongside Mr. Blaikie on the committee.