Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that the government is going ahead with a national infrastructure program in co-operation with the municipalities and the provinces.
The federal funds were committed in the budget. The government is negotiating with the provinces to determine how the program will be conducted.
I urge again that the municipalities play the major role in the selection of projects which qualify under the program. I also urge that, where appropriate, colleges and universities be able to participate, as they did in our first national infrastructure program.
There is a crisis in the core funding of colleges and universities across Canada, despite considerable increases in federal funding. Infrastructure support would help with this crisis. Colleges and universities are a key part of the infrastructure of Canada.