Mr. Speaker, I thank the Bloc for bringing the motion to the floor of the House of Commons. It is very timely because the area of equalization is a hot topic in the country, particularly in Atlantic Canada.
So people in the listening audience can get their heads around the issue of equalization, it is a program that we developed in the country many years ago. It states that the wealth of the country should be shared by all provinces, rich and poor alike. It levels the playing field in terms of fairness and delivery of government programs and quality of life. That is the short explanation.
We depend on the generosity of those provinces that are doing better, and we congratulate them. There is a level of generosity in our country. That is what differentiates us from the United States of America. For example, if one is living in Mississippi, a poor state, one will always be poor. There is not the same level of generosity within that country as we have in Canada.
We recognize the importance of the equalization program. We want to see it continued, and our leader has stated that. During the last election is where the Prime Minister got himself in trouble. We are saying that revenues generated from the offshore oil and gas resources should be allowed to stay in Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. It should not be clawed back by the Government of Canada in the equalization formula. In other words, we do not want to keep those poorer provinces in poverty in perpetuity.
I will quote from a document my leader put out. It said, “One of the conditions the Prime Minister wants is that Newfoundland and Labrador would have to commit to a cap”. In other words, it only can have the money if it promises to remain a have not province. He asked what I think is a legitimate question, which really goes to the heart of the debate. He asked, “Why does this government want the Atlantic provinces to share in the poverty and never in the prosperity?”
This debate is all about that. The Liberals are in an absolute state of denial. We know they are in trouble politically because they have said so themselves.
I want to go through some of what the members from Newfoundland have said and what some of the editorials have said.These editorials are coming out of Atlantic Canada. I will quote from an article in yesterday's Western Star , of Corner Brook, Newfoundland. The first paragraph starts off by saying:
There has been some speculation that Liberal MPs can kiss their seats goodbye in the next election if the Atlantic accord renegotiation falls through.
It has fallen through. The Prime Minister in the last election knew full well that the bottom had fallen out of his campaign and that the Liberals were in big trouble politically. In the dying days of his campaign the Prime Minister of Canada went to Newfoundland and Labrador and promised it 100% of all the revenue from its offshore resources.
Now that the election is over, the Prime Minister made another Liberal empty promise, which he is used to doing. His objective was achieved. He is still the Prime Minister of Canada and still residing at 24 Sussex Drive. He got exactly what he wanted. He did that knowing full well that he would come back to the House and go back to the premiers and renege on that promise. This issue is all about that.
Yesterday in the House we heard the member for St. John's East refer to his colleague from Newfoundland, who happens to be the Minister of National Revenue, as the Benedict Arnold of Newfoundland.