Hon. Éric Forest: Senator Gold, we see that being a professor is in your DNA. I sense that the government’s big concern has to do with respect and meeting its obligations under our Constitution. The proposed amendment in this case may help create an opening.

A comparison has often been made between education and health, both of which fall under provincial and territorial jurisdiction. As you said, the role of the federal government is to provide the funding, through agreements, to help the provinces and territories assume that responsibility.

The second part of the amendment says exactly the same thing. I do not understand why the left hand does not do the same thing that the right hand is doing when it comes to health care. The second part of the amendment says the following:

(2) The funding must be provided primarily through agreements with the provincial governments . . . .

If there are indeed agreements, then we can assume that both parties have agreed on a situation that is mutually satisfactory and meets the constitutional obligations of each party. I do not understand. The amendment clarifies and confirms certain things. In the context of these agreements, respect is a guarantee by which the constitutional obligations will be met.