Thank you, Mr. Christopherson.
Before we go to the second round, there's one issue on which I want to get the opinions of Mr. Monette and perhaps Mr. Morgan and Mr. Matthews too.
This morning we had the report of the Auditor General. I'm sure you're aware of the government trusts, the $37 billion that was sent out in the last four or five years. As it's told to Parliament, it's sent to the provinces on the auspices that it's being spent on certain very specific purposes.
An example is the $1.5 billion clean air and climate change trust fund. As you people know, when it reaches the provinces there's absolutely no accountability. They don't have to spend it in that manner, and in some cases--probably in most cases--they don't. It leaves Ottawa as an apple, and it arrives in the province as an orange. There's no consistency in the ten provinces.
As a member of Parliament, I find that extremely troubling. I think Parliament is being misled, and the Canadian public is being seriously misled as to what's going on. It's contrary to the principles of accountability. I think it's also contrary to the fundamental principles of accountancy. There's no consistency. The statements do not fairly reflect the underlying economic nature of the transactions that have occurred.
I know the reason is that these are the Public Sector Accounting Board's standards we're following. But as a member of Parliament, I have a real problem with these standards. I think this body is controlled by the provincial senior financial officers.
Do any of you, Mr. Monette, Mr. Morgan, or Mr. Matthews, have any problem with these standards? Do you share the concerns that I have?