If improved competitiveness is our goal, it may be penny-wise but pound-foolish to cut the successful Manufacturing Extension Partnership by more than half.

We are at risk of losing some manufacturing, but the biggest risk is we won't get any expansion of current manufacturing. You're not solving the problem. You're just moving the greenhouse gases to another location.

This just came out of the blue. Before you make a change in longstanding tax policy ? I am talking 70 years or so ? you don't just up and do it in an energy bill.

And, I'm going to stay in here all of 2006 ... and hope it continues for the rest of the years.

In Ontario, job losses in manufacturing have accelerated in recent months alongside announced layoffs in the key auto sector. However, Ontario's economy is well diversified and strength in the service sector, which accounts for more than 70% of overall employment and economic activity, should support vehicle sales of about 590,000 units in 2006 - in line with the average of the past two years.

This would be an indication that activity is increasing at more than half the manufacturing firms in the survey, and another sign of growth.