Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, gentlemen.
Canada's performance overall in a lot of different files is uneven. We have our major cities, where things happen a certain way, and then we have large swaths of rural areas dotted with small communities. The challenge, I think, for a federal government that tries to apply programs across the country is in not just in getting efficiencies but also in getting equity.
Professor Dahlby, you were talking about the lack of spending in rural areas. I would point out that in fact the government has talked an awful lot about, for instance, improving access to broadband Internet in rural areas, which is itself a catalyst for a lot of social, economic, and commercial activities. As you may be aware, the share that the federal government is prepared to take on now is 60%. Of course, if you get then a 30% contribution from the province, that leaves the smaller municipality with a really small piece to have to cover—hopefully within their means.
Talk to us a little bit about how you would see us evening out the application of infrastructure funding to lift the places that really need lifted.