Mr. Speaker, I have listened attentively to the remarks by the hon. member for St. Boniface, and note that sometimes the more we talk, the less we understand each other.
The hon. member suggests that this clause 20 will lend much more flexibility and better harmony between levels of government. The clause must be read; it states "-the Minister may enter into agreements with a province"-may, not must-"or group of provinces, agencies of provinces, financial institutions and such other persons or bodies as the Minister considers appropriate".
In order to keep it short, I would just like to ask my hon. colleague from St. Boniface if he recalls that post-secondary education, for example, as well as social assistance, are exclusively provincial jurisdictions? If he does recall that, is he aware of everything the federal government has done to date, not just this one, but all those before it over the past twenty years, to intervene via their financial powers in these two areas, in areas over which provinces have exclusive jurisdiction? Is he aware of this?