Thank you.
I'd like to begin by thanking you, Minister Champagne. You referenced the infrastructure funding for Toronto for flood control. People don't typically think of Toronto and floods, but six years ago in Etobicoke thousands of homes were flooded. The basements flooded, and for days on end there was no electricity. These extreme weather events are happening more regularly, so it shows tremendous foresight, and I thank you for that investment.
Contained in the 2019 federal budget is the one-time top-up that you mention of $2.2 billion for cities like Toronto. It was very welcomed by our mayor and the city council, and I think it's fair to say that we need to have this gas tax top-up because of the simple fact that Premier Ford's Conservatives in Ontario have decided to play politics with infrastructure funds and dollars, and not work with the federal government to get the funding that's so needed in our communities out the door.
Could you tell us a little bit about the thinking behind this top-up?