Mr. Speaker, I was a bit puzzled about what my colleague said. He likely knows more about the automobile sector than anybody else in the House and he stressed that in his remarks. I understood the link between it and the debate we are having today. I am not objecting to his having talked about the auto sector.
It is never possible for a government to do enough. It is my understanding that in the last year Ontario has become the major auto jurisdiction of North America. It produces more auto products than any other jurisdiction or any state in the United States. On top of that Ontario is still in the running for another Toyota plant.
My colleague rightly stressed the need to change technology. If we are to keep jobs, we have to stay at the very forefront of technology. It is my understanding that over the last two or three years the main auto producers in the United States and other overseas locations have started moving R and D capacity back into the province of Ontario for the first time in 20 or 30 years. I think that is in response to the new R and D tax credit environment which is a part of the five year $100 billion tax reduction, and is part of the federal government's policy. We can see a real reflection of that.
I agree with my colleague that in the end we want jobs and we need to keep on top of R and D. Through the change in the R and D tax credit, the federal government has done that and has helped Ontario become the leading jurisdiction for auto products. We have a way to go yet to again become a centre for R and D in the auto industry.
Could he comment on that? Several thousand people in my riding of Peterborough work in the General Motors plant in Oshawa.