Mr. Speaker, the minister does not have an answer or a realistic solution for Quebec manufacturers. He has no idea of the seriousness of the situation. More businesses will have to close their doors and more workers will find themselves without a job.
The Canadian dollar continues to climb. Why does the minister not realize the urgency of the situation? Do we have to spell it out for him?
He has not been able to secure new monies in the last two budgets and is not at all embarrassed about using the budgets of the Economic Development Agency of Canada as a cash cow for his riding and his region. Does he believe in economic development or simply in the re-election of his Conservative friends?
Canadians in the manufacturing sector work very hard to earn their wages and are proud workers. However, this minister's failure to take action is jeopardizing an even greater number of jobs on which Canadians and their families depend.
Can the minister explain his lack of haste and the fact that he still does not have new budgets to deal with this major crisis?