Mr. Jerry J. Ouellette: Well, the axe has started to fall. Only 16 days after the contractual agreements are signed, General Motors announces another huge loss for Oshawa and the closing of the award-winning truck plant. I cannot understand why I stand in this House time after time and express my concern over the changes coming in the auto sector and the cabinet doesn't see the light.

Fuel for consumption tax hits trucks hard. No help. Taxing ethanol, where environmentally friendly vehicles run on corn, works as a deterrent to have it available. Instead, the current government taxes it and, lo and behold, we have four stations selling ethanol. Mind you, I'm not sure the fourth has been announced yet, but I believe that the member from oh, say, Oxford, should be happy shortly.

The job losses aren't just in Oshawa. One of the Magna plants in St. Thomas, whose number one customer is the truck plant in Oshawa, and the thousands of individuals employed there: What's going to happen with them, and all the other feeder plants throughout the province of Ontario?

Premier, we hear about a plan. We hear how first it's a grant, then it's a loan, then it's 50 years and then it's 15 years. First it's $100 million and then it's $160 million. Even your minister doesn't seem to know when asked the question. The plan, quite frankly, isn't working.

The Premier is leaving a legacy of change from manufacturing to service. I would not expect that that would be the change he'd want to be known by. The government's job is to create an environment where business can flourish and Ontarians can live, work and raise a family. I may not have all the answers, but working together, we may be able to find ways by which the Ontario sector can once again reign supreme. I ask the Premier to please consider an offer to establish