I would say two things.
One, you're absolutely right that the type of employment we're talking about in the manufacturing sector is high-wage. It has benefits that are often not available to people in other parts of the economy. It's a knowledge-based piece of the economy that is very important for us to leverage. If you don't have those jobs, then Canadians will not be able to afford the lifestyle we all want for each other.
Above and beyond that, the whole issue of productivity is something we need to really keep in mind. The most unproductive plants are the ones that sit idle waiting for a decision about where to head next.
In the auto sector, we've had plants closing. We've had plants put on hiatus for up to two years at a time. We're taking people out of the workforce at their most productive period and putting them on the shelf.
