Thank you.
Mr. Chair, the last time he was here, the mayor of Laval said it's the first time he has encountered a federal government that doesn't understand how municipalities work. That quote stands on its own.
But I want to ask for just a few points of clarification, because I think it's a very serious issue. At one time this Conservative group used to say there was one taxpayer. Now they're trying to pass costs on to the ratepayers all across the country.
Mr. Carlton, you said you didn't think having flexibility was an issue of fairness. Could you elaborate on that? In other words, will some of your members be upset when they hear other members, such as those in Vancouver, have had to fast-track design and construction and have had increased costs, and, for instance, that the City of Surrey has had pressures and they've paid a 10% premium? At Westsyde they have their other applications. We have northern communities that have run into very specific project problems that could not have been predicted ahead of time. Will the rest of the country be mad if these projects get the flexibility you're asking for today?