Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from the parliamentary secretary for finance. This is an important debate about private public partnerships, the P3s.
The kind of argument we have just heard from the parliamentary secretary responsible for privatization is exactly how the government has tried to hoodwink the Canadian public. It has tried to suggest that if we do not get it, we are limited, that our understanding is not very good because we do not get the fact that it wants to find a way, through the back door, to sell off important aspects of our sovereignty and nation state.
The government continues to try to pull the wool over the eyes of Canadians, but it is not going to happen because in fact we are not talking about no flexibility and lack of opportunity to make decisions. In last year's budget, the government put $1.9 billion against the debt, and that is only based on third quarter reports. There is probably another $3 or $4 billion to come in when the fourth quarter reports are in, and the government will either slip it quietly against the debt or use it to fund election promises in the coming election. In total, the government has put $80 billion in surplus dollars against the debt as opposed to investing it in infrastructure, child care, and health care. That is the first point. There is flexibility.
This is about choices and we think it is in the best interests of Canadians to invest in infrastructure and programs that are owned and operated by Canadians for Canadians. In fact, that is the way we can assure the most gain for the Canadian public and avoid the syphoning off of profits and the movement of resources into the private sector where big bucks can be made.
I want to quote from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. It took this on directly when it released its alternative budget just a short while ago. In a CP article on March 16, it states:
Private public partnerships, dubbed P3s, have been given much more prominence since [the Prime Minister] appointed a parliamentary secretary in charge of the issue last December. Critics have complained such deals, often involving millions of dollars, could be hard to audit and represent a giant step towards privatization of government.
“While P3s would take the debt off the government books, we would leave it there, right in the light of day,” said Russell.
Improving accountability in the federal government is a major theme in this year's alternative federal budget, the 10th issued by the Ottawa-based think tank.
What it is saying is, have we not learned enough from the scandals before government? Have we not learned enough from the sponsorship fiasco? Why do we want to move more money off-book? Why do we want to move more money beyond the accountability of Parliament and the public? Why, when we have the resources and the wherewithal, would we not invest that money to benefit Canadians and, by implication, bring down the debt in the natural way in order to ensure that quality of life is a top priority for the government of the day?
I hope the parliamentary secretary understands how deeply we feel about this issue and how concerned Canadians are by this move to off-load responsibility outside of government, and in fact to give the private sector a huge advantage by being able to own and operate services once in the public domain.
If there was one way to encapsulate this budget, or one slogan that the Prime Minister could have used, it would be “bankers of the world unite”. This is a great day for bankers; it is a great day for the private sector. They are going to get their hands on a lot of low cost money, and a lot of rich programs and resources if the government's plan is allowed to continue. That is what we must stop. That is why this debate is so important.