Mr. Speaker, I compliment my colleague from Calgary—Nose Hill for the concise history she gave of the equalization payment system in Canada.
I would like her to refer briefly again to the shift that took place. In the very beginning it was to make sure there was a balance in the distribution of wealth across Canada. It was so direct, so transparent and so simple that anyone could understand. Now it has become convoluted, difficult, complex and somewhat obscure.
Could the hon. member speculate on why it went from simplicity to complexity, from openness and transparency to obscurity and obfuscation in many cases?