Mr. Speaker, I want to counter something that will most certainly be part of the Quebec Minister of Finance's next budget.
The sovereignists often claim that Canadian federalism is stifling the economy of Quebec. According to a study carried out by the CIBC, the economic growth in Quebec is likely to be higher than the Canadian average in 1999.
In addition, this performance should enable Quebec to get its unemployment rate down below the 9% mark by the year 2000.
The sovereignist government ought to think twice before it blames the federal government for everything that is wrong in the world. It ought instead to be building bridges of co-operation between the two levels of government, in the interests of all Quebeckers.