Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member opposite's rather breathless enthusiasm for his government's initiatives. It strikes the same chord as the government ads, which have been squandering tens of millions of Canadians' hard-earned tax dollars promoting programs and services that frankly just do not exist. We hear a lot of hot air, but we actually do not see where the rubber hits the road. Most Canadians will tell us they are being squeezed today as never before and that the vast majority of benefits from economic growth in Canada, both under this government and under its predecessors as well, have gone to those at the very top.
We hear a lot about jobs, but in fact the government has been destroying jobs. We have almost 300,000 fewer jobs in Canada than we did before the recession. Many of the jobs that are being created are precarious and low wage. I want to know what the government is going to do for the generation of young people who are facing almost 15% unemployment today and who are struggling under unprecedented student debt. They cannot get a foothold in the job market and all they hear is the oxymoron of Conservative jobs. Frankly, they do not exist. The government is betraying a generation of young Canadians.