Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Saint John for her question.
One of the reason that cities are in such trouble across Canada is that provinces are in trouble. The provinces have been put in serious fiscal peril because of the government's irresponsible slashing of transfers to the provinces. Instead of tightening its own belt at the federal level the government is turning on the taps on new, unprecedented federal program spending, yet the provinces are struggling.
The best way to help cities in many ways is to strengthen the ability for the provinces to better provide, not only for the cities, but for all municipalities and all municipal units, whether a county or a city. There are tremendous infrastructure needs that must be addressed. The government wants to address them directly and ignore the constitutionally enshrined rights of provinces to do their job.
I agree with the hon. member. We will get that train back there someday.