Thank you, Mr. Chair.
As I've often mentioned, the five-week benefit extension was made available as part of what was called a pilot project. This project was abolished by the Conservatives in 2011, if I'm not mistaken, or 2012. The measure was available in regions where the economy was largely dependent on seasonal jobs.
The purpose of the amendment is to add regions that used to benefit from this pilot project to the 12 regions proposed by the government. These are the regions concerned: Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, central Quebec, Trois-Rivières, northwestern Quebec, the Lower Saint Lawrence and North Shore, the region of Chicoutimi—Jonquière, the regions of eastern Nova Scotia and western Nova Scotia, Madawaska—Charlotte, Restigouche—Albert, the regions of southern interior British Columbia and southern coastal British Columbia, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, St. John's, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.