Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister, for being here today.
I'll try to keep my preambles as short as I possibly can.
One of the things that we've heard consistently is how your plan is to provide a better life for the middle class and those working hard to join it. It seems to be in everything we hear.
On your first comment on the economic outlook, Canada has been doing amazingly well. If we take a look at what happened back in 2008 and 2009 and are realistic about where Canada has gone and how it managed, I think that's really a critical part. All Canadians should be proud of what we have managed to do over the last decade under the circumstances that we were presented with.
You did talk about how you want to look into new areas like clean tech and so on. You want to push dollars, or at least push thinking that way. Of course, one of the concerns....
Our group was down in the U.S. a couple of weeks ago.
I just want to make sure, though, that whatever governments do, they aren't out there picking winners and losers, and they make sure that everybody gets an opportunity. Again, if you look at things like carbon capture and storage that we have out in the west.... We have windmills all over the place as well which, of course, there's a big debate on as to whether or not that is clean technology.
These are the sorts of things we take a look at, and when we look at that, then it begs the question when we are taking a look at the dollars that are being spent for ACOA and Western Economic Diversification. The four Atlantic provinces have a population of 2.4 million. They get $311 million, or 27% of the government's expenditure. Compare that to $199.6 million, 17% for the four western provinces that have a population of 11.5 million.
When you start to take a look at it and you ask what areas actually need the extra help and so on, it doesn't really look at though that's what is happening as far as those departments are concerned, so you start to take a look at it and say, “Are we really picking winners and losers on the tech side, or are we taking a look at places to invest?” And the question is, that are somewhat more political in nature....
I have some other questions, and I'll give you an opportunity to explain just what is happening with investments, whether or not they're being targeted for specific industries, and what the rationale is, especially looking at the economic conditions in western Canada.