when g++ NOT installed, apt-get remove g++ wants to install packages

The g++ package is NOT installed on my system.

In 11.10 when I issued the command
sudo apt-get remove g++
I received the expected response "Package g++ is not installed, so not removed"

After using the upgrade process (update-manage -d) to change my 11.10 system to 12.04, when I attempt to remove the uninstalled package g++, apt-get instead wants to install packages. (See excerpt below).

Here is my current system information.
gjohn@Vbubux86-11:~$ uname -srvmo && cat /etc/lsb-release
Linux 3.2.0-23-generic #36-Ubuntu SMP Tue Apr 10 20:41:14 UTC 2012 i686 GNU/Linux
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=12.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=precise
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu precise (development branch)"

Here is an example of the problem.
gjohn@Vbubux86-11:~$ sudo apt-get -V --dry-run remove g++
[sudo] password for gjohn:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
   g++-4.6 (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
   libstdc++6-4.6-dev (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
Suggested packages:
   g++-multilib (4.6.3-1ubuntu5)
   g++-4.6-multilib (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
   gcc-4.6-doc (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
   libstdc++6-4.6-dbg (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
   libstdc++6-4.6-doc (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
The following NEW packages will be installed:
   g++ (4.6.3-1ubuntu5)
   g++-4.6 (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
   libstdc++6-4.6-dev (4.6.3-1ubuntu4)
0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 0 to remove and 1 not upgraded.
Inst libstdc++6-4.6-dev (4.6.3-1ubuntu4 Ubuntu:12.04/precise [i386]) []
Inst g++-4.6 (4.6.3-1ubuntu4 Ubuntu:12.04/precise [i386])
Inst g++ (4:4.6.3-1ubuntu5 Ubuntu:12.04/precise [i386])
Conf libstdc++6-4.6-dev (4.6.3-1ubuntu4 Ubuntu:12.04/precise [i386])
Conf g++-4.6 (4.6.3-1ubuntu4 Ubuntu:12.04/precise [i386])
Conf g++ (4:4.6.3-1ubuntu5 Ubuntu:12.04/precise [i386])

gjohn@Vbubux86-11:~$ apt-cache policy apt
apt:
  Installed: 0.8.16~exp12ubuntu8
  Candidate: 0.8.16~exp12ubuntu8
  Version table:
 *** 0.8.16~exp12ubuntu8 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

gjohn@Vbubux86-11:~$ apt-cache policy g++
g++:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 4:4.6.3-1ubuntu5
  Version table:
     4:4.6.3-1ubuntu5 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main i386 Packages

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: apt 0.8.16~exp12ubuntu8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-23.36-generic 3.2.14
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-23-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Apr 15 21:41:41 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release i386 (20111012)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: apt
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-04-16 (0 days ago)