Madam Speaker, I appreciated the hon. member's presentation, but I am particularly puzzled by some points in it. First, he says that if transfer payments had not been so high, people would have emigrated because of the lower payments. Perhaps they would have tried something else and found new resources where they were to ensure their economic vitality.
Also, I would point out that if Quebec receives transfer and equalization payments, the total it receives from Ottawa is the same as what it sends to Ottawa, about $28 billion. Unfortunately the money comes back in the form of transfer and equalization payments, when it could come back as normal federal spending, such as Ontario receives.
Thus Quebec wants to break free from this system. Many times we proposed the way to do it. Perhaps that could satisfy our member of the Reform Party. Does he have an opinion on that?