Mr. Speaker, Alcoa has set its sights on the Alcan aluminum company. Alcan's American rival has plans to create a world aluminum giant. This takeover is raising a lot of concerns in Quebec and the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region.
Alcoa has offered some good guarantees with respect to maintaining primary aluminum transformation activities, thanks especially to the Government of Quebec, which is insisting that certain conditions be met before it offers any help.
However, with regard to research and development, which are crucial for long term economic development, Alcoa's guarantees cover only primary transformation. The people of the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean are worried about the development of initiatives in the secondary and tertiary aluminum transformation industry and about the future of Alcan's research centre.
I would like to remind the Minister of Industry that he is no longer a spokesperson for the Montreal Economic Institute. I would like him to recognize that he is responsible for industrial development.