Madam Chair, recently the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce surveyed its membership. Its membership has seen relatively low uptake in federal programs because they simply don't meet the qualification criteria. Seventy-three per cent of business owners expect the economic recovery to be slow, and less than 10% plan to fully rehire laid-off staff. They don't feel like this government has their back.
What message does the minister have for these businesses that face incredible hardship because they were pushed out into the cold several years ago and now seem completely forgotten?