Mr. Speaker, we did what people in Winnipeg and Manitoba wanted, just as we did when we decided to fund the congress centre in Quebec City, at the request of Mayor L'Allier who said, and I quote: "The congress centre has been a regional priority for the past ten years. Economic spin-offs are proven. We cannot sideline the centre which, year after year, employs thousands of people in the hotel and catering industry, for some infrastructure this area does not need, but which is needed by one company to survive here. This is the reason why I cannot support Marcel Aubut's approach". This is exactly what the mayor of Quebec City said.
We respect Quebec City's decision to spend money on a congress centre, just as we respect the wish of people in Winnipeg to spend infrastructure money on an arena.