Finance committee  I was surprised by your question. Even though it was not asked for me to answer, I would like to specify that about 20% of the revenue of companies such as IBM and CGI comes from the manufacturing sector and 75% of all research and development, private research, comes from the ma

Finance committee  That's not wrong. I think any measure that makes it possible for companies to be competitive will be helpful to the manufacturing industry. We have to get a new perspective on the fact that over the past few years, globalization has taken on a meaning that did not previously exis

Finance committee  When we were told about the plan, we recognized that the trust was a good vehicle to provide assistance, but we also recognized that the two most deeply affected provinces were Quebec and Ontario. If the strategy was designed to help the manufacturing industry, it should have tak

Finance committee  We believe that there should have been more money. And as you say, the program should have targeted the provinces hit hardest by the crisis, Quebec and Ontario.

Finance committee  What we are discussing is the situation of the manufacturing sector, both in Quebec and across Canada. We are fighting to carve out a space for ourselves on the world stage. We have to adapt and deal with any additional regulations. Seeing as how we are working to develop a globa

Finance committee  Recently, I read a book entitled How We Compete. People are always in search of a single solution. But for the manufacturing sector, there are multiple solutions. We believe that this is the path to take.

Finance committee  I don't have much to add. We've been asking the government to provide an employers' training tax credit creditable against the EI premium. What we believe is important at the moment is to keep workers on the job, so our main focus is to find ways to train those workers to face gl

Finance committee  What is very difficult right now for manufacturers is the fact that everything is happening all at once, and very quickly. When the dollar was at 80¢, manufacturers were able to make 12-month projections based on an 80¢ or 85¢ dollar. As soon as the dollar was at par with the U.S

Finance committee  Absolutely. However, it must pointed out that the budget did contain corporate tax cuts. I think that is an important element.

Finance committee  That is exactly why we worked very closely with the Government of Quebec, which decided to allow the deferment of tax instalments and free up cash flow. On the issue of the trust fund, we believe that it was a good idea because there is some flexibility built into it. The progra

Finance committee  No, only things will be more difficult, and our development will be delayed. All the OECD countries have put an emphasis on their manufacturing sectors. If one believes what the newspapers say, one has the impression that the manufacturing sector is going to disappear. And that i

Finance committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, members of the Standing Committee on Finance. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jean-Luc Trahan, I am the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters of Quebec. I'm accompanied of Mr. Robert Davis