I want to talk about the fact that this is definitely a very serious situation. There is a critical need for EI recipients to receive the entitlements that they're expecting.
I appreciate this debate about the political and technical side of this.
My question is regarding the status of these issues. We did get some briefing notes, but there hasn't been an update for a while. I believe that if we have ESDC come to the committee, they can answer my question, which is when are people's payments going to be restored? That is the number one thing on my mind.
I can support the motion on an hour of technical staff coming up because there are competing priorities in this committee and I want to get to as many of those priorities as possible. Many people in this community need support because of what happened during COVID and some of the shortfalls that have been there for a long time.
I want to mention people living with disabilities, those who feel exploited in the workforce, those who have worked the front lines of this pandemic and those who are awaiting serious investments in housing due to this housing crisis. I know the people who elected me and people who elected this government across the country are counting on this committee to work effectively and quickly to inform the government on potential legislation that can lift people out of poverty, improve working conditions for many who have worked on the front lines in this pandemic, and fix the housing crisis.
I'm here to do that work.