You can laugh if you want.
My colleague raises an interesting issue. I already had the opportunity to tell the Minister of Transport, in committee, that if the federal government privatizes or commercializes airports, ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway, Quebecers will have to ask themselves this crucial question during the upcoming referendum debate: Are we getting our money's worth, considering that we pay $28 billion in taxes every year to Ottawa?
When the federal government is investing in Quebec, it is not giving anything to Quebecers. When elderly people receive a cheque with the maple leaf on the stub, it is not a donation from the federal: it is money which these people, their spouse or their children have contributed through taxes. Consequently, this question is very much to the point, as is the whole issue of how the provinces will be able to provide the required financing.
For example, the federal government wants to transfer some regional airports. These airports will be managed by the local community, because the provinces have clearly indicated that they do not want those regional airports, and indeed I think they would have been ill-advised to take on that responsibility. I received confidential minutes in which the following issue was raised: If the local authority cannot make a profit with the airport in Sept-Îles, which currently makes $1.9 million in profit annually, what will happen? The federal airport in Sept-Îles will close. Consequently, will our taxes be adjusted accordingly? That is a very good question.