Mr. Speaker, instead of saying my speech was contradictory, the hon. member should perhaps consider transparency. I understand that the parliamentary secretary wants to defend the Minister of Finance, but I do not see the contradiction in what I have just said.
Everything I said was verified and supported by Canadian business federations, Quebec and Canadian associations and economic analysts. The parliamentary secretary needs to read the newspapers to see the reactions to this budget.
We have been told, and this is an insult, that there is enough money in infrastructure; $3 billion, when Quebec alone needs $1 billion over 15 years. The chair of the Union des municipalités du Québec says that $1 billion per year for 15 years is needed for infrastructure. We have been told that there is enough and that everyone is happy.
I have not seen any analysts, any chairs of a Canadian federation representing municipalities boast that only $3 billion has been invested. The mayor of Toronto—outside Quebec—condemned the economic shortfall for infrastructure. The amount he will get will not even pay for the work needed on one street in his city.
I have been told that there is a contradiction in terms of the gasoline tax; this is a special gas tax to fight the deficit. Where was the parliamentary secretary when this special tax was created to reduce the deficit? There has not been a deficit for four years now. This fact is never mentioned, and the government boasts about having a balanced budget. Why keep this gasoline tax, when people are struggling to pay for gasoline and heating oil.
We could also have had a debate on the fiscal imbalance. The parliamentary secretary did not talk about it, since this government prefers to shut its eyes and not speak of it. The government is the only one that continues to deny the fiscal imbalance.