Mr. Speaker, as a member of Parliament one of my greatest frustrations are banks and their limited interest in assisting small business.
My riding of Huron-Bruce thrives on the success of small and medium size businesses. Many Canadians are seizing the entrepreneurial spirit, some because it is their lifelong desire and others because they are unable to find employment. These people have skills, intelligence, energy and are willing to take risks to become financially independent.
Small businesses need to be given an opportunity. Canadian banks are making it difficult for entrepreneurs to realize their dreams. If entrepreneurs could afford to launch a new business or
if every mature business could afford to employ one more person, Canada's unemployment rate would decline drastically.
The government has taken the initiative to help small businesses with measures such as Bill C-99, an act to amend the Small Business Loans Act.
I encourage all bankers to help remedy our unemployment problems by taking an invested interest in our financial future and by ensuring that new and existing entrepreneurs are given a fair and equal chance to prove that they can contribute to the economy of the country.