Mr. Speaker, these numbers are from the minister and, every year, we have a surplus in the end. The government must try to stop spreading this misinformation.
Over the past five years, Quebec has lost approximately 150,000 manufacturing jobs, the majority since the Conservatives came to power. In 2007 alone, nearly 50,000 jobs were lost. The economic slowdown in the United States now extends to the service sector and Quebec's finance minister is even talking about a possible recession.
Will the Minister of Finance take the only responsible action in light of the deteriorating situation and put $3.5 billion towards an assistance plan for the manufacturing and forestry sectors, especially considering the $10.6 billion surplus expected this year?