Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, ministers and staff, for attending.
Again, I think it is great that our government is delivering on our commitment to support Canadian families and helping them to balance their work and family responsibilities. I've had that feedback from a number of people in my riding as well.
Our government has taken several measures to support Canadian families. We've expanded access to foster parents for the adoption of foster children so they can have earlier access to parental benefits.
For the first time ever, we have allowed self-employed persons to opt into EI programs and receive maternity, parental, sickness, and compassionate care benefits.
Our military families can now have greater access to EI parental benefits so they can bond with their new children after they return from duty that has kept them away from their families.
We've increased the eligibility for compassionate care benefits to include additional family members, and others considered as family by the person who is gravely ill.
We've provided choice in child care for parents through the Canada child tax benefit and the universal child care benefit.
This bill was introduced and expands the access to sickness benefits for parents on parental leave, but it has received little notice. Could you expand on how this measure could help new parents face very difficult times?