Mr. Chairman, in the break that you graciously gave us, we had some discussions and I think we're still somewhat at odds, Mr. Chairman. The suggestion I made was because this bill will not kick into force until April 1, 1994, and the Department of Transportation has assured us in the break that the study will be completed between mid to late March, the suggestion I made was that it remain the budget, that we bring the study back to the winter session, and if at that time the Standing Committee on Finance is not happy with the results of the study, we would undertake to amend the capital budget at that particular time, prior to the new fiscal year. I think Mr. Todd agrees that if the study doesn't work out, the money would have to come out of the budget anyway.
The reasons we're saying that is, this is a cost-shared project with the federal government under the $10 million program that was announced last November, which Mr. Todd had negotiated with the federal Department of Transportation. We have no wish to give up in any way, shape or form, some $750,000 in federal funding that would be involved in this particular project.
By leaving it on the books, it would give us time to work out that particular aspect, if it was going to happen without -- as we see it -- endangering that federal funding in one fell swoop by taking it out of the budget. My understanding, Mr. Chairman, is that this might not be acceptable to the Standing Committee on Finance. I would like to know, for the record, if they would entertain such a compromise, Mr. Chairman.