Finance committee  Thank you. To the extent that our fiscal plans and our economic strategies were premised on the expectation that the oil price was high and going one way, and that we would be an energy superpower, and that this would drive our whole economy forward, then I think that was a mistake.

Finance committee  I certainly think this is an important concern going forward. The fear, and I think the legitimate fear, that the dollar may indeed shoot back up if and when oil prices do recover is indeed limiting the beneficial impacts of the lower dollar now on investment decisions. I do disagree with Mr.

Finance committee  Even though the chances of the Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup are even more remote than they were then, I fully stand by my quote, Mr. Cannan. Thank you.

Finance committee  Well, the impact on both aggregate GDP and aggregate employment in Canada's economy will be a mixture of positive and negative effects, depending on what sector and what region of the country you're in. The most negative employment impact of lower oil prices will be felt in the petroleum exploration, development, and construction sectors.

Finance committee  All right. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I'm Jim Stanford, economist with Unifor, which is Canada's largest trade union in the private sector of the economy. We represent members working in more than 20 sectors of Canada's economy, at all stages of the value-added chain, if you like, from resources to processing, manufacturing, transportation, and services.

Finance committee  I hear you loud and clear, sir. Can you hear me at your end?

Finance committee  Not at all; I thank you.