Innovation to improve manufacturing productivity requires more than just equipment and technology. It also rests critically on ensuring that companies have a highly skilled work force to operate in an advanced technological environment of modern steelmaking. To this end, we propose a refundable tax credit for industrial training, creditable against EI premiums.
In my final comments, I would just simply speak briefly to the expenditure side of the budget. We seek the support of this committee to ensure that programs that are important to manufacturers are not subject to excessive cuts as governments seeks to reduce expenditures. Our submission identifies a number of such areas, including the sector councils at HRSDC, infrastructure renewal, enforcement of the trade remedy laws, and technology infrastructure.
I would certainly be pleased to elaborate on those topics, Mr. Chairman, in the subsequent session.
In closing, the proposals we advance will benefit many Canadian sectors, not just steel. We firmly believe that targeted tax measures and the maintenance of essential programs will contribute to strengthening the competitive investment prospects for Canadian manufacturers.
Thank you for your attention.