Thank you, Madam Chair.
My questions are for Ms. Raitt. Somewhat like my colleague, I will read them to you all at once. In five minutes, you may not have time to answer all the questions and I would like to have your answers in writing.
First, we're talking about the Wage Earner Protection Program and about $40 million that were given to workers. As you know, this crisis was dramatic for most workers, but also for tens of thousands of retirees. I could name businesses and prepare list after list. A number of them are claiming additional protection under this act. They have made requests to the government to amend the act and to ensure that pension plans are protected in one form or another.
Does the minister intend to introduce amendments to the act to protect pensioners? Currently we're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars that are lost in the Canadian economy, whereas you say it gave active workers only $36 million.
With regard to the act, you talked about modernizing federal standards concerning which consultations were held.
First of all, I would like to know how much time those consultations took. How much did those consultations cost? Who was consulted? I checked with a number of bodies and several told me they had not been consulted. That's why I wonder who was consulted. Lastly, was a consultation document used by your group when you conducted those consultations?
In addition, would the Minister of Labour be in favour of a precautionary cessation of work program, particularly for pregnant women with high-risk pregnancies?
For more than 25 years, Canada Post workers have been asking that an error be corrected under the former Pay Equity Act. Does the minister intend to solve this problem and how?
Lastly, I'll read you my final question. It's the last but not the least. In your strategic review of the Labour Program, you mentioned that decisions would be implemented this year, in 2010-2011. I would like to know which decisions you are going to make and what kind of additional spending will result from the implementation of those decisions.
I don't know how much time you have left to answer. However, as I mentioned, I would like to have answers in writing. I think that's important.