Mr. Speaker, during the last election campaign, Liberals strutted about making all kinds of promises. To hear them tell it, their election would have meant billions of dollars for the regions of Quebec. One year later, the Minister of Finance's budget confirms what we already knew: Liberal talk is just that, talk.
Nothing for seasonal workers. Nothing for young people in the regions. Nothing to jump start the economy in the regions. Nothing to help regional carriers. Nothing for health transfers.
Nothing in the immediate future for infrastructure essential for development in the regions. There may be help in 18 months, but that would be through a useless fund that is difficult to justify.
In fact, the only measure that will affect the regions directly is the new airline security tax, which will serve as another hindrance to regional air carriers.
In fact, the Minister of Finance's budget has led us to conclude that the regions of Quebec have never been further away from Ottawa.