Mr. Speaker, it is very hard to listen to these words without anger, knowing that women were the hardest hit by the cuts to employment insurance and to social transfers.
My question is for the Acting Prime Minister. The government has gazed into its crystal ball and predicted more than 300,000 jobs in 1997, but this morning's figures hardly support its enthusiasm. Instead of creating new jobs, Canada has lost 14,000 jobs since the beginning of the year. As we approach March 8, women have still less to celebrate, for 44,000 full time jobs have been lost since last month.
How can the Acting Prime Minister explain that her government is still predicting such a rosy future, when the employment situation of women continues to deteriorate?