Canadian Industry Minister Tony Clement declined to say Wednesday if the government would take a stake in General Motors Corp. (GM).

He said it would be "premature" to comment before the auto-maker provides its restructuring plan to the U.S. and Canadian governments.

"At this point, we are continuing to negotiate, we are continuing to nail down certain aspects of the deal in anticipation of General Motors coming forward with their go-forward plan," Clement told reporters after Question Period in Parliament.

He said he isn't happy with the situation - "None of this makes me happy, quite frankly" - and it was a "terrible situation" for workers, retirees and taxpayers.

He said the government has to make the "least bad decision" that provides the most relief to taxpayers and the auto industry. Letting the industry collapse would be "cataclysmic" for the economy, Clement said.

-Nirmala Menon, Dow Jones Newswires; 613-237-0668; nirmala.menon@dowjones.com