Mr. Chair, Mr. Trahan of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters of Quebec appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance this week. He is not a separatist or a Bloc member, but rather someone who represents small- and medium-sized manufacturing businesses in Quebec. He gave the federal budget a failing grade when it comes to the manufacturing sector. He fully understands that tax cuts do nothing to help businesses that are not making any profit and are struggling to survive.
What is needed—and this was repeated and indicated in the unanimous report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology—are refundable tax credits to allow those businesses to be productive. That is what the people of Beauce and Chaudière-Appalaches wanted. A number of members here represent those ridings. There was a minister from Beauce, although he is once again a backbencher. There are members from Chaudière-Appalaches and other parts of Quebec. How is it that they could not convince the government to do something and implement such measures?
We never said we were against tax cuts, but other measures were needed to help businesses that are going through a rough period at this time. How is it that the minister, who read the unanimous report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology last fall, did not see that he had the financial means to act and that it was important to do so? Is that not why Quebeckers are judging this Conservative budget so harshly? This budget does not meet the needs of Quebec.