Finance committee  Sure, I'd love to take that question and give you some background. Daniel, I'm sure, can add to it. I've been with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for seven years as a board member, and as we discussed briefly before this committee convened, I am just ecstatic that the

Finance committee  Thank you again very much. The reason I hesitate is that some of these policies on a national basis are very hard to combine into a policy that would fit from coast to coast to coast because our municipalities are so unique in each province and territory. As a result, sometimes

Finance committee  Thank you. Currently, as an example, the transit fund that's in place is predictable, direct. It's another model that has worked. It's sustainable funding that flows directly. However, I want to be very clear that in looking at what our message is today, it's not coming in at

Finance committee  Thank you very much. Number one, we firmly do believe—and again, let me be crystal clear that we're not looking to open up the charter to have that discussion—

Finance committee  Let me repeat that we're not looking to open the charter of rights. We have discussed internally and with members of government ways that we can collectively find what a new fiscal framework could and should look like moving forward without doing that. With regard to the situat

Finance committee  Mr. Chair, if I may interject, to remain optimistic, there is an opportunity for the federal government to institute a change, because the excise tax will be reviewed one year after the legislation is in place, so there is an opportunity moving forward.

Finance committee  Thank you very much for that question. It's a question I ask myself every day in terms of how to better address the needs of municipalities across the country. From day one, FCM did mention that we're willing partners with the federal government that is going to pass this legisl

Finance committee  We talked briefly about how with the national housing strategy that was in fact released by the federal government, approved last November, there's just a real transformational change in this country as well to be able to have that. I was very pleased with the May announcement th

Finance committee  That is correct.

Finance committee  I'm a municipal councillor, so I found it very hard to answer with one sentence, but that is correct.

Finance committee  It's very accurate. We are at a time when.... This is successive governments, I have to say. It's an evolution to where the FCM is very pleased and proud of the relationship we've had with governments. The recommendations we make are based on sound financial policy-making at our

Finance committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Julian, for that question. As I mentioned in my comments, this is a reality that we're facing throughout the country. Those who doubt climate change is a reality need to do a really serious review of where they are. It's twofold. One is making sure the

Finance committee  Thank you.

Finance committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and fellow Maritimer. It's nice to be here. I want to thank sincerely the committee for the invitation to discuss the vital role that municipalities play in the growth of Canada's economy. As you may know, and it's probably been mentioned on sev