Mr. Speaker, there is no question that the equalization issue is to provide equity and fairness and to ensure that the provinces across the country are able to provide reasonably comparable levels of public services at about the same levels of taxation. However, when the Prime Minister of Canada negotiates a deal with one province without regard to the other provinces, that is not an issue of fair treatment. It is just the opposite. When we find a formula that for over 20 years has penalized a province, that has nothing to do with treating provinces fairly or equally. It has a lot to do with not paying attention to what is happening.
What we have to do is put all the provinces on the same basis of fairness and equity. We need to ensure that non-renewable resources are not part of that, so that the provinces can develop themselves and be self-sufficient across the country to provide those same services without equalization payments or subsidies.