Human Resources committee  If it read that way, I wouldn't have a problem with it. It says “increase the premium rate”. It doesn't say “the rate of premium”.

Human Resources committee  It doesn't give me heartburn if it's 15¢ per 100, but 0.06¢--

Human Resources committee  --gives me heartburn.

Human Resources committee  I support using the money for benefits and for training. If you look at the promises held out in part II of the act and you look at the use of money for training--for apprentices, other forms of training programs, and industrial adjustment--the five vehicles that were set out in

Human Resources committee  One of those active measures is the fact that every apprentice or trainee in an approved program gets paid EI to go to school, because these learners are doing it in short sharp periods, usually in the middle of their work season.

Human Resources committee  I'll be really brief. Your idea, your comments on transparency, do we want to see that? The short answer is yes. You've said there won't be any cuts; everybody knows we have a labour shortage. I'd really like to believe that. I'm a literate person. I read this bill from cove

Human Resources committee  Would I like it to be in a separate bank account? The answer is yes. That may reduce the tendency for people to see it as a discretionary spending pot of money. Do we need to have this board? In its present form, no. I agree with Mr. Roy that you could set it up so that business

Human Resources committee  One of the first things I learned in law school was the canons of construction: “may” is discretionary; “shall” is mandatory. There are very few circumstances where “may” becomes “shall” in statutory interpretation. If it said that the Government of Canada would backstop it, wo

Human Resources committee  Do I see this as the thin edge of the wedge for that? The answer is no. But am I crossing my fingers and hoping? The answer to that is yes.

Human Resources committee  I think if there is going to be a separate and independent board, it should have people who represent the interests of workers and people who represent the interests of employers--the contributors to the fund. They can go out and buy the talent that is necessary from the insuranc

Human Resources committee  In my respectful submission, yes.

Human Resources committee  Ms. Sgro asked a question.

Human Resources committee  Thanks. It's because of your very good-looking haircut, I think.

Human Resources committee  Ms. Sgro, your point is one of those sort of lie-awake-at-night things for me. If the intention is to make EI into a tax cutter or whatever else, it reduces the usefulness of the program. It withers the program, and when the program starts to wither, it benefits fewer and fewer p

Human Resources committee  In some of the most recent agreements, there's no accountability whatsoever.