Mr. Speaker, I was talking about bridges. We cannot talk about highways as such because, under the Canadian constitution, construction of highways comes under provincial jurisdiction.
But the construction of bridges over the St. Lawrence Seaway is a federal responsibility. We cannot put money into the construction of a highway which does not belong to us, but we can, at the request of a province, put money into a sector over which the Canadian government has jurisdiction.
We are talking about highway 30, but we could just as easily talk about the ice control structure, which is also a major public transit project. We could talk about other highway projects throughout Quebec, which have been put forward in recent years by government members and also by the provinces.
As for how the foundation would work, I have no more information than the hon. member, because the announcement was made only yesterday. A foundation will be created, with a board of directors and a president. It is clear from the budget that the emphasis is on projects with provincial and municipal governments. Obviously, no private concern can stick its neck out and say that it will build a road between two particular villages without the approval of Quebec or the province in question. This falls under provincial jurisdiction.
I am certain that the primary purpose of this foundation was to guarantee annual amounts, as well as ensure that this fund would grow. Its purpose is also to ensure the development of a greater sense of partnership, both with the provinces and with municipalities and private enterprise.