Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the NDP for supporting the motion of the Bloc Québécois concerning the subcommittee on fiscal imbalance. We appreciate his support and are prepared to work seriously with the member representing the NDP on the Standing Committee on Finance.
I am less thrilled by the reaction of my Liberal colleague to the remarks of the leader of the NDP. As we have said repeatedly to the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister and all Liberal members, it is totally irresponsible to suggest that the provinces should raise their taxes to deal with the fiscal imbalance. It is irresponsible, and it is collective blindness on the part of the Liberals. We are among the most highly taxed in the world. If $9 billion was accumulated in surplus during the previous fiscal year and another $11 billion or $12 billion will be during the current fiscal year ending on March 31, 2005, it is because there is only one taxpayer being overtaxed.
To suggest, like the Liberals, that provincial taxes be raised in Quebec and in the rest of Canada is irresponsible and incompetent. What we need to do is to restore balance. At present, the tax base is predetermined. Balance needs to be restored in favour of the provinces, which are ultimately responsible for delivering the services.
There are not that many ways to go about it. Cash transfers will not do; that time is past. Tax fields need to be transferred and provincial autonomy has to be ensured, so that the provinces can exercise their constitutional jurisdiction in health, education and income support, among others; they have to be autonomous. Predictability is also essential. We can do without having to deal every year with an uncompromising Prime Minister who laughs at people's expense, as he did with the people Newfoundland, has no respect for taxpayers and tells them any odd thing about the annual surplus. We have to move away from that and ensure that revenues are sufficient, predictable and stable. This will spare us two or three first ministers conferences a year ending in failure, like the latest one, two days ago.