Mr. Speaker, in fact I read with interest the report of the Commission on Fiscal Imbalance authored by Mr. Yves Séguin. As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance said, it is interesting how members on both sides of the House always find something different in these reports.
The Bloc members can pick up on the things they want to in the report but we also have to analyze what assumptions the report is based on. It is based on lofty conference board assumptions and looks at 20 year predictions. Any economist would know that making those kinds of predictions is not valid. Most economic forecasters will not forecast beyond two years.
Let us look at what the report actually ignores. It ignores that there will be any recession and that there will be no further tax cuts. It ignores the fact that there will be no new services required.
We cannot look at reports like that. Life is not lived in a vacuum. We cannot look at conclusions based on what we on this side of the House feel are improper and lofty assumptions that have been made.
Let us look at the facts and see what the increases have been to the provinces by the government from 1993 to the present. Equalization payments increased 22% from 1993 to 2001. Also the Canada health and social transfer increased by over 22%.
I submit that we must look at what has been done in the past and not just go with faulty assumptions as to what may or may not be in the future.