Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you all for coming here.
Two weeks ago, we welcomed the minister and a number of officials. I asked the minister why she had not adopted the same approach as the one taken in the case of the employment transition program, namely introducing a pilot project, instead of a new measure via Bill C-50. I did not receive a direct answer to my question. It has quickly become apparent that the government is playing politics at the expense of unemployed workers. Had a pilot project been initiated, there would not have been an amendment or any decision to make.
In our estimation, the bill creates two categories of unemployed workers, the good ones and the bad ones. The decision to separate workers into two groups is unfair and does nothing for social justice, in my opinion. It is like deciding to save people with glasses and feed them when everyone else is starving. One group is told to wait patiently until their turn eventually comes. Where is the social justice in that?
Faced with an economic crisis, the government brought in a temporary measure in the form of Bill C-50. These are harsh economic times. People already have access to employment transition assistance. What areas would you have prioritized?
When the minister testified before this committee, she stated that she had consulted a number of experts. Were you consulted, yes or no?