We are indeed on the right track.
Our colleague just spoke of the obsession with visibility. Reference was also made to absolute truth. Here we have the President of the Treasury Board. With respect to visibility, I do not think that the PQ can point the finger at anyone in Quebec in that respect.
Think back to the floods, and the ice storm. This obsession with visibility was such that one wondered if the federal government had any involvement, yet it was footing 90% of the bill. Objectivity is required in a debate.
I have a concern. Support is expressed for the Bloc Quebecois motion, but there is all this squabbling on principle. For the most part, members of the Bloc represent outlying areas of Quebec. I do too. While squabbling on principle may have its merits, reality is catching up to us.
This morning is a case in point. An editorialist from my region, Rénald Boily, wrote “It is demonstrated on a daily basis in our region that the Bouchard government's move toward ambulatory care is becoming a move toward confusion.”
Richard Brantford, another editorialist, said “Ours is a region with a moribund economy.” That is the result of 25 years of PQ government in my region. That is what we have to show for it.
I have no objection to squabbling on principle, here in Ottawa, with the Bloc Quebecois. Let us transfer the funding for employment, regional development and health. But is my colleague not concerned about his region?
The problem is that, when funds are transferred to Quebec, they do not get to the regions. There are statistics to back this up.