Finance committee  I have my handy little cheat sheet here. In 2005-06, transfers to the Province of Ontario totalled $18.9 billion.

Finance committee  They will be almost $19 billion--$18.970 billion.

Finance committee  For 2006-07?

Finance committee  I would say that is true if the policy changes need big implementation machines behind them. From our side, the department administering the transfer programs, we don't have an increased cost with an increase in transfers. I'm not bragging that we're so efficient, it's just that there are some programs that see increased costs.

Finance committee  Beyond those tax measures, no.

Finance committee  There's every reason, I think, to assume they would. We've worked on operating principles for the trust, which outlines the objectives.

Finance committee  No, there is not, legally--

Finance committee  --but we would argue that the tax measures in the budget should assist low-income students--

Finance committee  --and that the government, as part of the fiscal balance discussions, has highlighted the area of post-secondary education as one of the priorities.

Finance committee  It was enabling legislation that the government could provide “up to” an amount. The announcement that was confirmed in the budget was that the government had decided to provide to provinces and territories—there was also a foreign aid component—up to $3.3 billion. It was laid out here that for post-secondary education there would be a $1 billion trust, an $800 million trust for affordable housing, and $300 million for housing aboriginals off-reserve.

Finance committee  No, it was a pretty broad “up to” for post-secondary education and training, including...but I don't have the exact words here.

Finance committee  Including aboriginal student access, and we certainly hope that the provinces spend this money that's been provided through a trust in ways that increase or improve student access. There is no reason to think they won't.

Finance committee  Yes. As it says on page 159 of the budget, the government will honour the commitment made in the Canada-Ontario agreement. That agreement, you will remember, was to address some concerns of the Province of Ontario with specific inequities and some concerns with long-term spending in certain areas.

Finance committee  That's correct.

Finance committee  On page 159 it is laid out what they will get in respect to 2006-07 and 2007-08.