Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Judy Fights to Protect Manufacturing Jobs

Hon. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.):  

Mr. Speaker, the government's pitiful community development fund is too little and too
late. For two years the Conservatives sat back and watched the manufacturing sector
bleed. They waited until after the jobs were lost at Chrysler, GM, Ford and auto parts
companies all across the GTA.

Despite continued warnings, they have done absolutely nothing to stop this loss of
jobs. They chose instead to wait until it was too late to come forward with a band-aid
solution.

Why does the government not care about the workers in the manufacturing sector?

Mr. Ted Menzies (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, that is a ludicrous statement to make after the hon. member was
probably in this House and just voted for the community development trust fund. We are
glad that she did to get that moving. We might also talk about the $8 billion in tax relief
that was brought forward in budget 2007 and our economic statement. But let me read a
supportive statement by the member for Halton:

This was a good announcement. The $1 billion is desperately needed by tens of thousands of people in communities in the Atlantic, Quebec, northern Ontario and British Columbia.

The Speaker:

The hon. member for York West.

Some hon. members:

Oh, oh!

The Speaker:

Order. The hon. member for York West has the floor now.

Hon. Judy Sgro (York West, Lib.):

Mr. Speaker, the only reason that money was brought forward is because of the work that was done by this opposition party here, otherwise it would not have been done, just more rhetoric and more laissez-faire, “I don't care” from the government. Last week the industry minister and the finance minister met with auto industry executives, but in the midst of contradicting each other they made zero commitments to provide any assistance to the auto industry. Is the government's indifference to the crisis in the auto sector just another example of the Conservatives' anti-Ontario attitude?

Hon. Jim Prentice (Minister of Industry, CPC):

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The reason the community trust legislation was passed is that this government is listening. If Canadians listened to the member's party, we would be running deficit budgets and no one is interested in that. Let me point out—

Some hon. members:

Oh, oh!