Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. We have to refer to the substance of what the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador said and look back to the election campaign.
According to the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, the promise made by the outgoing Prime Minister of Canada, that is the current Prime Minister, was the same he had made during the election campaign. That was a rather straightforward promise.
On the telephone, the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador had received the assurance of the Prime Minister and member for LaSalle—Émard that his province would not be penalized in terms of equalization, in spite of the royalties. That is why the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador expressed outrage.
That is how we have looked at his remarks. We sympathize with the outrage of the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, especially given the totally arrogant and somewhat lofty attitude of the people across the way. We in Quebec are used to it because that is the attitude they have had with us for eons. They think they have a monopoly on the truth, and make all sorts of commitments they cannot meet.
My colleague was speaking earlier about social housing. It is true that it has been a long time. Since 1989 the current Prime Minister has been saying it is important to have social housing. Since 1993 they have not put one cent into the construction of social housing. Money has been put into maintaining existing stocks.
And it is the same for tax fairness. We have been talking about it since 1989. We have quotes from the Prime Minister saying that it was not right that people in a certain tax bracket did not pay income taxes because they could take advantage of tax havens. He was indignant about this practice. And what is the Prime Minister doing now? He has a family firm in Barbados. In 1998 he introduced a bill himself, C-28, which enabled him to avoid paying $100 million in income taxes in Canada.
This is the same man who talks out of both sides of his mouth. He did the same thing with Newfoundland and Labrador and he has done the same thing on many issues. When people speak disparagingly about the credibility of politicians, it is because this kind of people do pretty much the opposite of what they say in election campaigns. They make promises that they do not keep, unless they are made in writing or in front of witnesses.
It is serious and it is bad for everyone, for all members of Parliament and for the credibility of the democratic process. We should be angry with them; not only for Newfoundland and Labrador, which has been treated arrogantly and in cavalier fashion, but also for the negative effect they create in the public as to the credibility of the parliamentary process and the democratic process, too.