You raise a very good point, a major problem that reveals your experience in this matter: the accountability of the provinces toward the amounts they receive from the federal government. I'm not prepared to say that the federal investments are yielding no return, but you are right to point out that it is difficult to track and obtain accounts of how the provinces spend the money they receive.
Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Tijman have been in British Columbia longer than me. I just arrived, but I would say that there is still a slight wind of change blowing. I would like to raise an optimistic point. Mr. Dix has been appointed the Minister Responsible for the Francophone Affairs Program in British Columbia. It's a portfolio that doesn't have a big budget, but it's a start. Mr. Fleming, the Minister of Education, shows a certain openness, which still needs work. So, a slight wind of change is blowing.
However, the federal investments do play a big role. I think you have to be tough when the federal government invests, and you have to be accountable.
I remember having this discussion with Mauril Bélanger at the time. He said the same thing, that it was important to keep your eye on the money. Where does the money go once it's in the provincial coffers? We must be able to trace it.
So this remains important, and I invite you to make it a criterion of bilateral agreements. I don't want to sound overly optimistic, but I would say that the winds of change are blowing in British Columbia. I will let my colleagues answer, but I find everything is timely. How will the $400 million announced in yesterday's budget be affected? It lacks concrete details. And how will we be able to ensure that the province will invest this money in the right programs once you have made your recommendations? I invite you to be rigorous about it.