Mr. Speaker, I agree with what my colleague has mentioned with respect to the country turning to the miners and their families on Cape Breton Island.
There is an important piece of information which the government does not want a lot of Canadians to understand, more importantly central Canadians. It talks about the fact that Devco tried and that it was so committed to the people of Cape Breton it did everything humanely possible to make sure that the corporation became viable. There are some on this side of the House who clearly disagree with its definition of commitment.
It is important to note that when the government talks about the investment sometimes it has referred to it as the big black hole. Yes, it has invested approximately $1.65 billion in the industry, but it is important to note that $6 billion was generated. I am not an accountant, but I think that is not a bad return on an investment.
The reality of the situation, as I said in my speech, is that four years ago the government decided to get out. It charted a course. The legislation was very clear. The government could not exit an industry that was commercially viable. In order for the government to exit the industry, it had to set the wheels in motion to ensure that the industry was not commercially viable.
Two years ago I stood in the House and questioned the minister about whether or not there was a plan to privatize the coal industry. He stood in the House and told me no. Is that commitment? Is that honesty? Is that integrity? People on Cape Breton Island do not think so.