Statement made on 27 September 2011 by Senator Claudette Tardif
Hon. Claudette Tardif (Deputy Leader of the Opposition):
My question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Today we find ourselves teetering on the edge of what may or may not be another global recession. Europe is in crisis. In the U.S., a burgeoning debt and a massive operating deficit have sent the markets haywire. Everywhere we see red flags.
Across Canada, unemployment is at unsustainable levels. In Abbotsford, it is above 8 per cent. In Windsor, Toronto and Montreal, it is the same or higher. In Saint John, they are struggling. In places like Peterborough, Ontario, they have reached a crisis point with 11 per cent unemployment.
As I mentioned, global economic indicators suggest things may get worse before they get better. To imagine that Canada would remain immune to further damage in this worldwide economic context is naive at best.
I ask the Leader of the Government this: Has her government recognized that this issue is one of the real priorities of Canadians? What is the government's plan today and in the coming weeks and months to address the impact of the degenerating global economy on Canadian jobs?
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