Mr. Speaker, I obviously fully support the remarks by my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot on the economic and social consequences of the budget presented yesterday by the Minister of Finance.
I have in my hand an article published today in Le Droit . I think with my colleague's expertise we have a good idea how federalism is cost effective in Quebec. The article concludes by saying:
Even with the natural increase in the performance of the tax points, Ottawa's total contribution has increased from $30 billion to $32 billion in ten years, a miserable increase of .06% a year.
It then says:
In all, with all transfer payments combined, for each Quebecer, cost effective federalism is $1,566 as compared to $1,600 when Robert Bourassa left politics ten years ago. This does not warrant a speech by the current Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs—
I would ask my colleague if he agrees with these remarks and if he can tell us in greater detail how the current budget will impoverish Quebec further this year.