Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to direct my remarks and questions to Professor Harvey Lazar, from Queen's University.
Before I ask my questions, I think we all acknowledge the need for early learning and child care. There are some out there who believe that it's best delivered by the federal government using the federal spending power, and there are those out there who believe it's best delivered by the provinces as part of their intra vires responsibilities. But regardless of whether you believe it's best delivered by the Government of Canada or by individual provinces, this bill is flawed and should not be supported. That's my view. In other words, even if you believe the federal government should set Canada-wide goals and principles for social policy, even if you like the idea of a federally driven national child care program, this bill is flawed for two reasons, I believe.
The first reason is that it flies in the face of and contradicts the social union framework agreement that the previous Liberal government signed with the provinces, with the exception of Quebec. It flies in its face in terms of the idea of accountability that underlies the agreement and in terms of the process by which the federal government would engage in social policy in areas of provincial jurisdiction.
I'm wondering, Professor Lazar, if you would comment on that aspect of this bill, and then I have a second question for you as well.