Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Minister, for being here today.
First of all, Minister, I want to thank you for the leadership that you've shown in governing the Canadian economy over the last almost eight years. These have been very challenging times, especially during the great recession of 2008-09. Canada has emerged very strong, thanks in no small part to the sound economic policies you've introduced during that time.
My question today regards small businesses. We all know small businesses play a vital role in the creation of jobs and economic growth in Canada. While Canada has performed very well with respect to our peers, small businesses across the country continue to face challenges: too many Canadians are still out of work.
What in economic action plan 2013 will be supporting small businesses and encouraging job creation?