I would like to correct one statement that was made, and it was that the EI fund money has been misappropriated. I don't believe it has been. I'm sure this committee has gone into this is some depth, or will in the future. Those funds, the so-called surplus in EI, are actually just on paper. The funds were actually there, they were put into government general funds and they're already been spent to benefit all Canadians. We've realized some savings in the EI to the point where now--and in fact the EI commissioner is sitting beside me, my deputy minister--with the new process where we match premiums to anticipated expenditures, in fact through the savings we've been able to lower the EI premiums three cents for employees and four cents for employers.
On June 6th, 2006. See this statement in context.