Mr. Speaker, once again, the Leader of the Opposition is creating a problem where none exists, perhaps because he cannot find enough issues to criticize. First of all, I said that I was prepared-and it is my intention-to have a federal-provincial conference with my counterparts, as soon as all provinces have tabled their budgets. The provinces asked us to wait until they had all tabled their budgets.
Second, the Leader of the Opposition is drawing certain conclusions from talks that have yet to be finalized. Yes, we did provide overall figures, but it is clear it will depend on the outcome of the negotiations.
It is beyond belief to hear the Leader of the Opposition. Six provinces have said that they will have to absorb over 217 per cent of the cuts. It is a mathematical impossibility.
What amazes me is not that an individual minister of finance or premier of a province would fall into that trap, but that the Leader of the Opposition would basically say that he has so little faith in the capacity of Quebecers to negotiate on their own behalf that he would concede the argument beforehand. It is the same kind of thing that he has done consistently, that is he has conceded that Quebec cannot make it in Confederation. Let me tell him as a Quebecer that Quebec can make it in Confederation.