Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Algoma—Manitoulin. I have no doubt that my colleague will be making an extremely important contribution to this debate.
With respect to the substance of the motion before the House, everyone agrees that this is an extremely serious technical problem. Overpayments were made over a period of almost ten years, for technical reasons. Corrective action was taken two years ago. With the assistance of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and the Department of Finance, the Canadian government is doing everything it can to try to find a solution which is fair for everyone. At least four provinces are directly affected by these overpayments. Since equalization payments are involved, this also affects the other Canadian provinces to a lesser extent, given that the proportion was altered slightly.
This is a significant problem, even if it does not involve $50 billion. But it is a question of fairness, and the government considers this a very serious matter. Our opposition colleagues often make very serious references to the auditor general's reports.
The role of the Canadian government is to work together with the auditor general, as it does on many other issues, to be sure that a reasonable solution is reached. Naturally, we must rely on the technical analyses of the auditor general, the Department of Finance and the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.
In Quebec, we are used to this. It is always the federal government's fault. Even the temperature is blamed on the federal government. What I find surprising is that our Canadian Alliance colleagues are now spouting the same line. For all the opposition parties, individual or collective problems in this country are always the fault of the federal government.
Let us take health care in Quebec. The transfers were restored and there was good co-operation between the federal and the provincial governments, including the government of Quebec. It is not the federal government's fault if thousands of nurses have had to take early retirement. I have doctor friends who have had to take retirement.
Even with funding restored, there is a problem in the health sector. People need to be involved in sizing up the problem. There is an administrative problem as well, and this is true in all sectors.
I remember that, when we had the flood, some thought that the federal government was to blame. During my election campaign, the Parti Quebecois and the Bloc Quebecois held a press conference. One week before the election, they talked about the natural disaster that had occurred back home, the flood. The Canadian government was not present. It had not been invited. We had no responsibility regarding the flood, but we contributed to the restoring of major infrastructure to the tune of 90%.
When problems occur, we must face them with a minimum of serenity. Serenity and patience are good for one's health and also when dealing with issues. It is not true, as père Gédéon, the old Quebec television character, would often say, that it is the federal government's fault. We are all co-owners of the Canadian federation.