Absolutely. Like Pontius Pilate.
If I were a federalist, I would recommend a complete overhaul of the transfer payment system and go back to the position taken in 1941 an expressed so well in the Rowell-Sirois report. However, I am not. And even the most committed federalists are starting to have doubts about the effectiveness of the tax system and Canadian fiscal federalism.
I am a sovereigntist, like the Bloc Quebecois. To us, the best reform would be to give Quebec its sovereignty, and we cannot repeat this often enough.
If one looks at the mix-up there is in standards, federal transfer payments, the necessity to respect national standards, duplications, overlapping, et cetera, only one solution comes to mind and that is the redefining of the relationship between Quebec and Canada, the establishment of a new relationship which would allow a sovereign Quebec to adopt consistent policies on income security, policies combining income security with education programs and manpower training; a new relationship where there would be only one stakeholder and not two who sometimes implement contradictory measures which cancel one another.
Just think how much we could reduce disparities between regions, income levels and generations that constitute a major problem in developed countries today. Think of all the possibilities we could have in Quebec and in Canada if we would only review the federal transfer programs, of all the opportunities there would be for us to face today's great modern challenges like globalization and job creation-jobs, jobs, jobs. We are also concerned about jobs considering all the measures that have been on our mind for almost two decades if not three.
We will contribute nevertheless, as we have said since the beginning, since we have taken on our role as Official Opposition in a responsible and efficient manner; we will continue to play that role and when Bill C-3 is referred to the finance committee, we will propose, among other things, that the equalization ceiling be removed.
In conclusion, I would like to add a few elements to the evaluation of equalization and other federal transfer payments. A word of warning for my colleagues from other parties. Let no one come and tell us, during the debate on equalization in this House or during the finance committee proceedings, that Quebec receives more than its share of equalization and transfer payments, that Quebec receives more than its share of the Canada Assistance Plan and therefore of social assistance. Quebec does not need equalization payments nor does it need CAP, and it definitely does not need equalization payments rendered useless since being capped. What Quebec needs is a strong, well structured and vibrant economy providing it with the necessary tax revenues. That is what Quebec needs. It is jobs we want in Quebec, not the Canada Assistance Plan.
Let us consider the surplus Quebec gets from the Canada Assistance Plan and the supposed surplus from equalization payments, since there are losses and shortfalls in that area, and let us compare them with the losses Quebec incurs because of unfair distribution of federal funds in terms of productive investments, that is to say federal investments in, for instance, research and development. In the past 30 years, Quebec has been receiving between 13 and 18 per cent of all federal R and D funding, both intra and extramuros. Let us figure what this loss of revenue means, not so much in accounting terms, but in terms of lost opportunities.
What would the situation be today in Quebec if it were not for this unfair distribution of R and D transfer payments? Would Quebec be one of the have-not provinces now, supposedly being helped by a sham of an equalization system, or would it be able to have sufficient tax revenues, just like Ontario does? For the last 30 years, Ontario has been receiving around 50 per cent of all federal funding. And you would have us believe that it has nothing to do with a weaker economy in Quebec?
Having said this, we will do our best to defeat or amend Bill C-3 when it goes to the finance committee, and as I mentioned a little bit earlier, we will fight against the continued capping of equalization payments. We will strive to bring about changes to help our Canadian friends to take better advantage of a system that might have been excellent at the start but which now borders on the absurd.