Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my hon. colleague concerning the general position of the Liberal government and how it compares to the position taken during the election campaign. As the months go by, I find that this government is getting better and better at half-measures. This is clear from the red book, long on theory, by the way, where it is stated that last fall, there were 1.6 million unemployed in Canada. And what is the government doing to solve the unemployment problem? Well, it has set up an infrastructure program that will create 45,000 short-term jobs-15,000 in Quebec-in response to a situation where 1.6 million Canadians and 428,000 Quebecers are unemployed.
With respect more specifically to youth unemployment, the government has come up with another half-measure, namely a youth service corps. This program will not solve anything or create jobs. However, on the eve of a referendum, one component of the program will, judging from what the government member said earlier, enable young Canadians to travel and to learn more about Canada. We all know what the implications of this can be, what a man such as Jacques Hébert can accomplish. We all know what the implications can be. I would like my hon. colleague to explain to us how this youth services corps is not
fundamentally a very political move by this government on the eve of the referendum?