Madam Speaker, I have a couple of comments.
The hon. member made reference to the situation in Saskatchewan. I reiterate that I do not want the hon. member to give the illusion to those individuals watching this program that there is a different formula for Saskatchewan. The equalization formula is calculated one and the same. We end up with different results because of the varying capacities and abilities of provincial governments to raise taxes. There is no inequity there.
The hon. member made reference to the fact that Quebec has a higher per capita rate than does Saskatchewan and that somehow that is unfair. If we go down that road and if I follow the logic of the hon. member, the have provinces that do not get any equalization are being treated unfairly. He said that Saskatchewan has a lot of roads so it should get more. Quebec does not have as many roads but it has a lot of ports. Saskatchewan does not have ports. Should we follow that line of thinking? Then we get on to the whole subsidization issue.
The member made reference to the amount of the increase in equalization. He did not think it was very much. Will the hon. member go back to Saskatchewan and tell the people that he does not support an increase in equalization payments for the province of Saskatchewan?