Mr. Speaker, I would like to concur with my friend from Saint-Hyacinthe--Bagot with respect to the need for greater flexibility in fiscal federalism and his proposal for tax point transfers. In contra my friend from Etobicoke, I am a passionate federalist who believes that this federation would work more efficiently and redound to the benefit of citizens if we had this kind of fiscal flexibility within our federation. In fact today my colleague from Lanark--Carleton is making a presentation on behalf of the Canadian Alliance to the government of Quebec's commission on equalization in which he is proposing our policy regarding tax point transfers.
My question for the Bloc finance critic deals with his opposition to our recommended $3 billion increase in security and defence spending. Just to be clear, we are proposing that $2 billion be put immediately into defence and $1 billion annually t immediately into other policing and immigration related areas. According to the member, the Bloc finds this increase too high.
Does he not acknowledge that Canada's defence expenditure at 1.1% of gross domestic product is less than half of the average defence expenditure among NATO countries, which is 2.2% of GDP? Does he think that Canada can properly play its role on the world stage and meet its international and treaty obligations while essentially allowing the Americans and other countries to subsidize our NATO defence while we do not pay our fair share? Does he think that is appropriate for Canada as a major country and economy on the world stage?