Thank you, Mr. Chair.
There was some discussion about relationships with municipalities, but let me ask first about spending.
Last year, the ministry underspent pretty dramatically on programs announced by the Conservative government. Essentially, the Conservative government promised to spend $1.4 billion on its new programs under the building Canada project programs, but only spent $117 million. We're here at estimates today and your main estimates ask for another $979 million. The much talked about building Canada fund was budgeted at $926 million, estimates requested $376 million, and only $56 million was spent. It was only 4% or 6% of the building Canada fund that got spent last year. The rest of it went back to the treasury.
You are asking for more money this year, so I am curious to know what assurances we have that the money is actually going to be spent. You've been underspending to a fairly dramatic extent over the last number of years, and in here you're looking for more money. Where are we going to get some truing to that, some actual action?