Answer:
While I can't make a judgment call on the integrity of your broker, I will tell you that he is right when it comes to continuing to invest even then the economy is suffering. However, you should be making some more calculated adjustments to your investment account which means that this is no time to sit back and hand your financial future to someone that you may not trust. Recessions are harsh. If you had money in the stock market in 2008, you took a hit. Some were hurt more than others. Fortunately, if you are still a good amount of time away from retirement, it is more than likely that you will recover what was lost and continue improving your investment wealth.

The key to investing is finding a balance between high risk and low risk investments that you are comfortable with. As a general rule, the younger you are (or the further you are away from retirement) the more risk you can safely take on. This is because you have more time to allow the market to recover from dips in performance, and yes, even a recession. Higher risk stocks have the potential to yield high returns but also the potential to flat line. Safer stocks (such as those backed by the government) are not going to leave you penny-less if the economy goes south, but you are not going to get rich off of them either. As you age, there should be a gradual transition from high risk stocks to lower risk investments so that you can safeguard the money that you will need to access as you approach your retirement years.

In any case it is always a good idea to continue investing especially if you have a retirement fund where your contribution is matched by your employer. In cases like these you are guaranteed to double your initial investment dollar. That is a return that is near impossible to match with any stock or bond. Pulling your money out of these 401k amounts just because you fear the recession will drain them is not the wisest thing to do unless you have plans to cash out on your policy soon.

If you are not among those who have employer contributed investment accounts, you will need to take a more hands on approach to your investments. Some people choose to invest with a brokerage firm. Others choose to invest in funds that are more autonomous like CD's and mutual funds. CD's and mutual funds are actually some of the most popular investments to have in your portfolio because they are low risk and predictable. Additionally, if you happen to already have money in a longer term CD or mutual fund when a recession hits, you want to make sure that you take advantage of the pre-recession rates that you have now and keep your money in that account.
In short, investing is always a good idea. The only difference a recession makes is how you should manage those investments. With a little extra effort, education, and a little luck, you can minimize losses and even find opportunities to see your investments grow. While an investment broker may have more experience in investing, you should take an active interest in your investments, making sure that your opinions are heard and that your investment accounts are given the attention that you deserve.