I think, again, it addresses program design and the total issue around financing the federation, in some way. I think there is a case for matching grants from the federal government in order to shift maybe some of the municipal and provincial government spending in directions that provide national benefits or benefits that often spill beyond provincial or municipal boundaries, because otherwise politicians will naturally favour those projects that are very local. That's their responsibility.
In terms of other projects and maybe, as I mentioned, for smaller jurisdictions, it might be better to have block funding through the gas tax fund or other mechanisms. This also really raises the question of the total package of transfers from the federal government to the provincial sector, that is, the Canada health transfer, the Canada social transfer, and equalization. I think there is a case for increasing total transfers to the provinces given the fiscal pressures that have emerged at that level.
In terms of whether they should fund a new or an existing project that can't get off the ground for, let's say, fiscal reasons, then I think it should potentially be entirely funded if it meets the criterion that it provides significant national or provincial spillovers of benefits.