I am sure there will be no argument with our views at all, because we have such logical, persuasive views. We look forward to convincing the committee and thereby improving the economy of the province, along with the other people who are here.
The Coalition for Social Justice is a coalition of groups around Ontario, of both labour unions on one hand and community groups. We are interested in advocating social justice in the province but really have been concentrating on poverty, for obvious reasons, in the last number of years, just because of the way low income affects so many people. This is particularly relevant for this pre-budget hearing because of the economic crisis.
I would side with Jim Stanford, thinking of the CBC panel the other day when he was debating with Mark Mullins and...I forget who the investment person was. The two of them were saying that the economic prospects are looking very positive now in Canada, and Jim was saying, wait a minute, there are a lot of factors that are problems because of the huge number of unemployed. This is why we picked the three areas that we have picked
Probably the most general statement that the Ontario Coalition for Social Justice would argue is that we would hope the federal government would adopt a national poverty reduction strategy. We haven't said so directly; we chose instead to concentrate on three particular issues. I'm confident that advocacy for a national poverty reduction strategy will come up in your hearings, but I think the three areas we have identified are key areas that really affect many of the people with whom we deal directly.
Concerning EI, we quote various unions with which we are in association, mainly because of the dreadful effects on union members throughout Ontario—we are Ontario-focused—of the economic crisis and huge job losses, generally in the north of Ontario with mills shutting down and forestry workers having a hell of a problem, but with auto workers, obviously, in Windsor and other union members in manufacturing plants throughout southern Ontario, whether in Cornwall, Hamilton, St. Catharines, or wherever you go. People who were regarded for years and years as having union jobs that were well paid are suddenly facing the prospect of low income or poverty. It is a devastating prospect for the individuals involved and for the communities in which they are placed.
We advocate as strongly as we can that the CLC recommendations with which we finished the section on EI.... They have a number of recommendations about increasing the period of time during which EI would be paid—which the government has addressed, to a slight extent anyway, by extending the five weeks for a period of time—but then increasing eligibility for EI so that a greater number of people will be eligible for EI than is currently the case.
I think of the situation years ago. I'm old enough to think of accusations that people in various parts of the country would take advantage of EI because of seasonal work—work for a little bit and then get payment. What the country is facing now, and what your budget subcommittee is facing, is a much more serious economic difficulty, in which EI is really needed for people directly as a result of the economic difficulties we're facing and because of job loss.
The second general area is the temporary worker program. There we have contact primarily with the United Food and Commercial Workers as well as with the centres they operate in five different places in Ontario where migrant workers or temporary foreign workers are assisted. They do excellent work. The difficulty they are having is that here we are, inviting foreign—
I have one minute? Okay, I'll deal with it quickly. I was going to talk about housing, but Michael Shapcott is here, so I don't even have to say a word. The experts will speak directly.
The migrant workers and the temporary foreign workers are facing huge difficulties in not having their rights recognized in the context of the work they actually do. The UFCW and the community centres that UFCW operates are of great help to those people. The federal government really must take a role—through the budget, I think—in investing in greater employment standards and helping those people become like Canadian workers. If Canada is benefiting from the work they do, I think it's only reasonable and correct that we extend the rights that the workers usually have in Canada.
Why don't I just stop there? Thank you.