I understand.
We also call for longer benefits of at least 50 weeks in all regions so that fewer unemployed workers exhaust a claim.
Very quickly on the question of jobs, to deal with the still worsening jobs crisis, the CLC calls for the federal government to launch, in partnership with the provinces and cities, a major multi-year public investment program that would create jobs now, promote our environmental goals, and build a new green infrastructure for the future. A comprehensive plan would cover roads, sewers, and basic municipal infrastructure; health and educational facilities; mass transit; passenger rail; affordable housing; energy conservation through building retrofits; and renewable energy.
Let me conclude on the last point. Canada has a very low level of public debt. Borrowing costs for the federal government are and will remain very low, and many public investments yield high rates of return in terms of public benefits and growth in private sector productivity. Households are saving rather than spending, private sector investment is very depressed, and a strong global recovery is a distant prospect. Now is the time for the federal government to lead the way into an economic recovery.
Thank you so much.