Jaime might have been one of the people standing behind him during that announcement, because this was just a purely crass political calculation. After the fact, when they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar, so to speak, they said it applied clear across the country. It wasn't just for Atlantic Canadians. It was for Canadians everywhere across the country who are on home heating oil.
That has now caused a domino effect of organizations and populations and provinces across the country saying that, if one part of the country can get the carbon tax removed on their home heating, why isn't this good for all Canadians? The first nation communities are having to come cap in hand to the federal government to raise funds to continue to get their communities to operate, only to have to pay the carbon tax to heat their buildings. They've put forward a number of initiatives now to question the federal government as to why that is.
I think it would be entirely appropriate for our committee to hear from some of these community leaders and communities as to the effects of the carbon tax on their communities and what percentage of their budget the carbon tax consumes.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.