Mr. Speaker, I will continue my remarks, but I will tone down a little, because, when a remark is made by the Chair, we should listen.
I want to mention that when we are asked whether this government or the Quebec government should decide where and when our infrastructure or road projects should be carried out, I hope that your remarks about the respect we should have for this House will be heeded by the member opposite.
Let me explain what the rules should be. In matters of road construction and development in our country, in Quebec for example, our National Assembly and our government should decide where and how we want roads built.
The hon. member said that this is simply handing out money to get the work done as we want it done, but I say that we should be the prime contractor. Yes, we can do it and we have the expertise to do it. The hon. member wondered if we should hand out these funds. The government had the opportunity to have its say, to negotiate as an equal partner when the federal Minister of Transport met Quebec's transport minister. He negotiated and he led us on the wrong track when he said “We will call for tenders in the private sector to see if they will get on board”. We have to wait for a budget tabled by the Minister of Finance instead of getting the real picture from the Minister of Transport, who would say “No, we will not do it. We are creating a foundation and we want to keep all this secret because I am afraid to negotiate with your minister”. I do not know why this is so.
Let the federal government give us the money. We specifically asked that it be invested in infrastructures, so that Quebec's transport minister would have money available to complete this highway 30. He would have no choice but to go ahead with the construction. We are now being told that they are backing up, that a foundation is being established and that we are to negotiate with people who are appointed because they are good friends of the Liberals. These people will not be accountable to our fellow citizens. Who will decide? Creating a foundation is nonsense. We want the money so that we, as prime contractor, can make the decisions.