Mr. Speaker, I am just amazed at the economic illiteracy of the current Conservative government. It is not surprising. We have a Prime Minister who learned his economics from a textbook. He never had to meet a payroll in his entire career before coming to the House.
What the parliamentary secretary obviously does not know is that every single bilateral agreement the government has signed has actually led to a reduction in exports. The government members do not even check their facts. It is absolutely appalling.
The other thing that the parliamentary secretary obviously does not know is that in the last 20 years the real income of most Canadian families has declined, not gone up. The wealthy, of course, are wealthier than ever. If one is a banker or a corporate executive, yes, one's income has gone up. It has skyrocketed for the wealthiest 20%. However, for most Canadians watching this debate today right across this country, their real income has declined, in large part because of the do-nothing attitude of the previous Liberal government and the complete incompetence of the current Conservative government on economic issues.
The question is very simple. Why do the Conservatives not take the stewardship of the economy in hand, so they can ensure that when foreign investment comes into this country, it is actually in the interests of Canadians, both in northern Ontario and everywhere else in the country? Why do they not do their job?