For 18 months, we had worked on something that mattered: a national system of early learning and child care. Then it was gone.

It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when,

It represents a huge new opportunity here,

As kids we knew whatever Canada was then it would be far greater tomorrow. That is the Canada I see today. That was the Canada born into me. Long before I ever wore the jersey, I wore the jersey.

So, speed up the when.

And the fact is that, in our last reporting date which is 2002-2003, Quebec had invested about $1.2-billion in early learning and child care. The next highest number was Ontario at $500-million. The province of British Columbia [was at] $98-million. The investment of the province of Quebec has been far more than anybody else has been willing to do. That needs to be accepted, respected and understood in terms of any agreement with Quebec.