You are the Parliamentary Budget Officer. This means you are not simply a tax or financial expert. You are also familiar with all parliamentary rules. In your analysis of the bill, did you take into account provincial legislation protecting pension plan funding? This issue was mentioned last Tuesday by those who introduced the bill. Indeed, in Quebec, for instance, Bill 30 requires companies to fund their pension plans at 115%, I think. Ontario and possibly other provinces have similar legislation.
This really changes the whole picture. Obviously, the bill we are considering is important for two specific firms employing 1,400 workers whose representatives testified here. This is still problematic but the problem should lessen and even disappear in the long term with the implementation of this legislation. I wish your study could confirm that the cost of the bill will be limited now that the provinces protect pension plans. I do not know if Conservatives are listening but I would like them to hear this comment.