Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to discuss Bill C-18 regarding equalization from the federal government to the provinces. The bill, if passed, and I expect the government will be able to get its members into the House for an important vote like this one, would lift the cap off equalization payments for the year 2000-01. Quite simply, that is what the bill is about.
It is not a complicated piece of legislation. It deals specifically with an issue and certainly would be a help and a boon to the provinces that need increased equalization payments, especially in this fiscal year.
As we are debating this bill today we know that the four Atlantic premiers, including one of the only two Liberal premiers in the country, are meeting in Charlottetown to discuss equalization payments. Certainly what they are asking the government to do and what we are expecting they will ask the government to do is permanently lift the cap on equalization. There are a number of reasons the government should seriously consider measures such as lifting the cap on a permanent basis.
The concept of providing effectively level taxation or similar levels of taxation and services across the country is perhaps the very cornerstone of Canadian social policy. That was said in the House not long ago by our finance critic, the member for Kings—Hants. I would like to state—