I guess we should talk about the whole process surrounding changes to the Employment Insurance program, as developed by the Bloc Québécois—this bill, as well as others like it. Consultations were held with unions, obviously, as well as with employers and other institutions.
I would like to provide an example with respect to the waiting period—the bill proposing the elimination of the waiting period and this bill. Employers are not always very happy about leaving their employees without any income when there is a waiting period, because of a lockout or a temporary layoff.
When the Employment Insurance system is enhanced, I think all of society benefits. That is why, generally speaking, measures proposed in bills that deal with Employment Insurance are often very well received by employers, employees, social and community groups, socioeconomic groups and chambers of commerce. They know full well that when you deprive a group of people of income, you are penalizing the entire community. The workers are poorer as a result, meaning that they are unable to buy anything, and this sometimes has repercussions for the family and the children.
Overall, the measures proposed in Bill C-395, as well as in the other bills, were developed by the Bloc Québécois following consultations with a wide variety of socioeconomic actors in Quebec.