Finance committee  I think the first two questions have actually been very well-answered in the Quebec parental insurance plan. I think the way that model is set up is that all Quebeckers who are working are contributing. Therefore, the cost is spread across a much larger number. I guess it's like insurance program models.

Finance committee  Our recommendation would be to study a national equivalent to the parental insurance program in Quebec. It seems to make more sense.

Finance committee  In Quebec, it's a province-wide program. The premiums would cover the traditional EI-type premium and then an additional cost to cover maternity and parental leave structures.

Finance committee  Yes, it is paid by all workers, including the self-employed. It seems there has been some costing done for self-employed workers, and it looks like the net cost is $420 per year for a self-employed worker. Now, there's no option as to whether or not you will contribute; we consider it as part of supporting children of families across the province.

Finance committee  In terms of the Success By 6 recommendations for enhancement, we were looking at the work that was done by the Caledon Institute. In terms of that work, what we were looking at is essentially trying to simplify the benefit process. It's a non-stigmatizing benefit. Increasing the value to $5,000 essentially impacts immediately on those families with very low incomes and it actually simply raises them above the poverty level overnight.

Finance committee  Yes, of $4 billion, and to go back to the discussion that I think we've had here, this is an investment. It's not simply a cost; it's an investment. If you look at the money that these families receive, they all spend it in the economy.

Finance committee  In terms of recommendations, we have three. The first recommendation relates to making maternity and parental leaves more accessible and better funded. In terms of the arguments in favour of parental leave policies, they present two rationales: first, that such policies are now a necessity, giving the increasing numbers of women who participate in the labour market; and second, that there are benefits, both health and well-being benefits, that flow from allowing new parents an opportunity to spend time with their children during those first years of life.