Thank you, Madam Chairperson.
I also want to welcome the minister and her officials; discussions on this bill are starting to sound familiar to them I am sure.
First, I think that you will have understood that we are in favour of the principle underlying this bill because it is new to be able to open up employment insurance benefits to self-employed workers. This appears to be a good thing to us. How should we do it and what are the right measures? That is something else again, and I think that that is what today's discussion will focus on.
My first question will be about the choices you have made in terms of coverage. Why, Madam Minister, did you choose not to provide employment insurance benefit coverage to self-employed workers who are experiencing financial difficulties when they no longer have income from employment?