Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Last Tuesday, we discussed the possible costs. As you know, I have been a member here for a number of years, and I have a keen interest in the employment insurance program. I truly believe that it is unfair to workers. Mr. Charles Cirtwill thinks that there should be a different program. From what I understand, the witness believes that these people should go on social assistance and stay there until the end of their days rather than try to maintain their ties with the workplace so as to be available for work when the employer calls them back. I don't want to spend too much time on this, but I am ready to challenge him to a one-hour debate—it could be on Radio-Canada or the CBC—so that he can explain his position and we can put forward our own and we can hear what Canadians have to say.
I have just given our clerk a letter outlining the costs that have already been determined by the Department of Human Resources. With respect, Mr. Céré, this did not involve a simple reduction of 70 hours for each category, but a drop to 360 hours, which could possibly be done by amending schedule 1 of the act. The cost for 360 hours would be a total of $390 million. I would like to ask our clerk to have the letter translated and distributed to all committee members. This work was done by our research assistant. We made the request, and received the answer on November 21, 2006.
I join with my colleague Mr. Lessard in saying that I am truly offended, on behalf of all workers, by the opinion that people who draw employment insurance benefits are well paid. Their benefits only represent 55% of what they were earning. I can tell you that most of the calls to my office come from people who want to work. If small Atlantic companies in Halifax and elsewhere cannot find enough people to fill their jobs, it is because the workers have taken the train or a plane and have gone to work in Alberta. That is why in Atlantic Canada today, welding shops and manufacturing plants are running short of workers. People have moved west to find work. Out west, they may not be able to draw EI benefits, but it is still not possible to find someone to work at McDonald's for $18 an hour. There is a manpower shortage there. That has nothing to do with employment insurance.
People who represent workers and those who represent some employer groups have shown you both sides of the issue. Nevertheless, when the Prince Edward Island Chamber of Commerce appeared before the committee, they said that the reductions to employment insurance were too steep. We went to Forestville, in Quebec, where there was a demonstration. Manufacturers as well as merchants demonstrated in the street to protest against these measures and the effects that they will have.
In 1986, the number of hours required was 150, or 15 hours per week. Is it really unreasonable to set the number at 360 hours? Do you really think that Canadian workers are lazy? That is what my predecessor Doug Young said about the workers in the Atlantic provinces. His statement was published in The Globe and Mail. They said that was why changes had been made to employment insurance.