Mr. Speaker, I certainly understand the hon. member's comment about the infrastructure in British Columbia. When I made reference to the challenges in Ontario I did not do so to the exclusion of other parts of Canada. Clearly there are challenges right across the country.
The point I was making is that we need to ensure a free and efficient flow of goods to our largest trading partner, and certainly there are border crossings in British Columbia that require improved infrastructure. I would fully support the point that we need to embark upon a much broader program and approach to a highway system or a national highway system.
On the matter brought up by the member with respect to the dollars spent versus the dollars taken in by the federal government in terms of an excise tax, that really speaks to a formula for a directed tax whereby a certain amount of money is allocated to a particular area of expenditure.
I have a problem with directed taxes. While I support the need for improvement in infrastructure, the problem with directed taxes is that if we adopt a position of directing tax dollars a number of envelopes are set up right across the bureaucracy and when there is no longer a flow of money we must stop spending in those areas. If we were to find ourselves with a clear need for infrastructure and excise tax dollars that need to be directed actually drop for some reason, we would not have the capacity to find other money. I am much more in favour of recognizing that the area is a priority and that collectively with the provinces we work to resolve it, ensuring that there is federal participation.