Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. Last Friday, Statistics Canada reported that the national unemployment rate rose to 11 per cent in April, while the rate in Quebec increased from 11.7 per cent to 12.6 per cent. According to this latest report, 65,000 more people have joined the ranks of the unemployed. These figures which are, to say the least, disconcerting, contradict the optimistic news that we have been hearing from the Prime Minister for the past month about lower unemployment and job creation.
Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that six months into his mandate, the unemployment rate continues to increase and his government has reneged on its promises, given that 65,000 more people have joined the 1.5 million who are already out of work?