Chair, just for my own information.... I have four packages, four sets of amendments. I wonder whether we could, just technically, spend three minutes to put it all together under your supervision, so that I know what I have in front of me. They came in at different times and in different languages, and I'm not too sure which is which.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Okay. I'll point out that the package they're handing out now is the one.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

I would just like something.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

The one they're handing out now has Bill C-56 on the front. It says G-1 in the right corner and talks about “committee stage”, and it should have a “number 1” written on the bottom of the page.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

Yes.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

We'll make sure we go over each one when we get there.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

Excuse me, I have something else called “C-56, NDP-1”. Is that part of the package?

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

That will be part of the package as well.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

Okay. And I'm sorry to be a nuisance, but I also have something else.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Do you have “Bloc-1” as well?

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

No. I have something called “Government Amendments...clause 11”.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Don't worry about those. Just take the two packages that have been given out right now. There's the one with “NDP-1” on it, and then the one with “G-1” on it.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

Okay.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Go ahead, Mr. Savage.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Mr. Chair, if I could, I want to get the attention of the parliamentary secretary for a second.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Mr. Komarnicki?

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Just before we do clause-by-clause, I have a motion that I haven't circulated and that I have with me in both official languages. I am wondering whether, in the spirit of cooperation we've been hoping for, I might have unanimous consent to bring forward this motion.

I'll read it first, in case the government thinks we're playing tricks.

How would it be if I read it in English?

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Go ahead.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

Read it in French, please.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Just wait until the translator gets it.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

The motion is:

That in the opinion of the committee, the government has acknowledged that the voluntary employment insurance system for self-employed persons will not be self-financing, and the resulting imbalance will cause increases in premiums both for employees and employers who are not voluntary participants in the program, and the government should commit to funding out of general revenues the amount by which benefits to the self-employed exceed premiums paid by the self-employed, so that Bill C-56 will not result in a premium increase for employees and employers.

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Do you wish to speak to that?

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Yes.

We were told that this was going to be self-financing. When the minister spoke to this before, she indicated that it would be self-financing. When we asked questions about this, it turned out, and we got written information, that the cost of this is going to be some $78 million per year once we reach 2014, I think it is.

While we support EI for the self-employed, we don't think it should be a further burden on the EI fund, which is already under significant duress. So we think it makes sense that the government should commit, if there is a cost to this, that it not come out of the EI fund but come out of general revenues.

If the government is okay with that.... If they're not, then—

4:35 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Dean Allison

Since we're in clause-by-clause right now, we would need 48 hours for this motion, Mr. Savage. So we can put it on notice and maybe have a look at it at a later time.

4:35 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Okay.