Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to my hon. colleague's comments. Earlier today in the debate I made the comment that I do not suspect that there is a lot of consensus or a consensus at all among provinces on this issue with respect to the movement to tax points versus cash transfers. I think it is fair to say. I know the hon. members from the Atlantic provinces did.
Certainly analysis has shown that a conversion to tax points for the smaller provinces would in fact be harmful given their smaller tax base. I am trying to reconcile this in my mind. I am trying to understand if the member, coming from the Atlantic provinces and knowing that the Conservative Party is supportive of eliminating cash transfers and going straight to tax points, much like our colleagues from the Bloc, has had any dialogue at all with his provincial premiers with respect to eliminating the cash portion of the transfers and going to tax points completely.
As well, I am a little concerned about and am trying to understand some of the inconsistency, perhaps, in the thinking on tax points versus the equalization payments, where equalization payments are a transfer of cash and there is a moving to tax points on the straight transfers. There is a bit of inconsistency in the thinking. I would like to hear from the hon. member on that point.