I just want to note one little imprecision in that Bill C-243, as presented by Mr. Gerretsen, would allow a woman to start 15 weeks in advance if required and if a doctor agreed that the workplace were unsafe. The government has announced the flexibility to allow a woman to begin her maternity benefits up to 12 weeks in advance, period.
In terms of what's proposed in the budget, I think I can only go as far as to say that it maintains the three weeks. That would still be available after the expected date of birth. That would speak to the specific intent of maternity benefits, which is to help provide income support through leave, time off, to recover and recuperate from childbirth.