Human Resources committee  We didn't quite come prepared with all of our... Sylvain is dying to get in on this one.

Human Resources committee  Yes.

Human Resources committee  Yes.

Human Resources committee  I made it clear when we started, and I think we've made it clear every time we've appeared in front of this committee, that the three priorities are access--that's the 360 hours--and the benefit level and the benefit duration, which have to be raised. We want to make sure people can get into the system when they need to, that when they get there, there's at least some semblance of an income for the period of unemployment, and that they have some ability to have that benefit during extended periods of time when they need it again.

Human Resources committee  Those sound like nice round numbers.

Human Resources committee  I don't know that this quite answers your question, but getting back to the unemployment rate, there was a time when the unemployment rate was over a certain amount and the government contributed to the fund. Again, there are people who are contributing to EI who cannot get access to the benefits when they need them, and we certainly want to see more people have the access they need, no matter what kind of job they have.

Human Resources committee  People want to work. We would rather that more workplaces were unionized, obviously, so that it wouldn't be that kind of choice, but people want to work. We certainly wouldn't say to somebody, “Don't go and get a job because they're not unionized”.

Human Resources committee  It's $350.

Human Resources committee  Yes.

Human Resources committee  Before Sylvain deals with some of the technical issues, I just... You've said that this is an insurance program, which I think it's curious. The program has been robbed of $57 billion, right? So it was not considered an insurance program when it had a whole bunch of money that could be put to use at that time--and could be now--for workers.

Human Resources committee  The recommendation in terms of the 360 hours...?

Human Resources committee  The bill, yes.

Human Resources committee  Yes.

Human Resources committee  Absolutely.

Human Resources committee  No--