Mr. Speaker, of course we are not stupid. Tax points have been a longstanding claim in Quebec. I will not reiterate all the statements made by my colleagues in the House. It is an historical issue.
The province of Quebec is asking for tax points for all kinds of historical reasons, and one in particular that Quebecers and people in other provinces will understand. It is because the quality of life is ensured by the provinces. Health care, education, everything we can think about, such as public safety, national safety, water, water treatment, garbage collection, all these services are provided by the provinces and their creatures, the municipalities.
There is a reason why the provinces are asking for their fair share, to assure the quality of life of the citizens of Quebec and Canada. To answer my colleague's question, there is a reason why, like his predecessors, the leader of the opposition in the Quebec national assembly is also asking the federal government to transfer to the provinces the tax points they deserve in order to meet their ever increasing expenses.
I repeat that in Quebec health care expenses will double by 2008. The same will happen in every other Canadian province. New technologies are extremely expensive. When the system was put in place the federal government paid 50% of the expenses and, today, it only pays 14%. This is the harsh reality of being part of a federal system.
I will answer the member for Markham that I believe he is becoming machiavellian with all the things he is dreaming up against Canadian unity. They are showing daily that Canada is less and less united. It is with reactions like the member for Markham's that people in Canada will understand that trying to bleed the provinces to death is not a solution, because they are the ones who are providing services ensuring the quality of life of their citizens.