Mr. Speaker, after 76 straight months with national unemployment over 9 per cent, the worst string of jobless rates since the great depression, unemployment in my riding of Okanagan-Shuswap stands at 10.7 per cent.
Those are not just numbers, they are people: from new graduates looking for their first jobs, older workers laid off because of downsizing, to people in the prime of life who are unable to support their families no matter how hard they try.
Last October bankruptcies were up 61 per cent from October 1993 when the Liberal government took office. Families are also carrying the highest debt load in history.
These figures are a national tragedy. And what response do we get from this caring, sharing Liberal government? Last week it tabled legislation that will sharply increase payroll taxes, making it more costly than ever before for businesses to hire new employees.
Out of work Canadians want to know: Where are the jobs, jobs, jobs this Liberal government promised them?