Mr. Speaker, I think everybody is quite aware that there are very difficult economic conditions, particularly south of our border. In relative terms, we are very fortunate that our Canadian economy is much stronger than the American economy.
We have continued to post positive job numbers and economic growth. At the same time the Americans have posted for months and months losses of jobs in the hundreds of thousands and a negative economic growth.
In those circumstances those industries that depend heavily upon export to the United States, especially in growth areas where lumber feeds the housing industry, which has completely collapsed there, will be affected.
We have taken action to do what we can with our community investment trust of a billion dollars earlier this year, through corporate tax cuts and through other measures. Anybody who is being honest with their voters and with Canadians will realize that the Canadian government cannot single-handedly reverse the economic problems of the United States.