That is the most serious aspect that stood out during the tour that my colleague Yves Lessard and I made. We are in the process of impoverishing our regions. They are feeling increasingly isolated.
Over the past year, there have been massive closures in the forestry and textile industries. Many factories are closing their doors because of international competition.
For instance, we met with people in Mauricie. In that region, the workers are poor precisely because of the few hours worked, because the industry is seasonal. The people are very dependent on that industry. I have a figure here. We are told that the economy of Gaspésie is losing some $50 million a year. There are approximately 8,000 eligible people, and if there were 40% more, that would mean a real improvement for the local economy.