There has to be because in northern New Brunswick where I'm from, people were working for minimum wage in the forestry and fishing industries. It's shameful to say this, but some people even had to pay to get a job. I'm not telling you a very happy story, but it's the reality.
As if that wasn't enough, the government made cuts to the employment insurance program, which affects seasonal fishing jobs in northeastern New Brunswick. We did not choose to live there; it was where we were born. It's our region, our community. To the people who enjoy lobster, cod and scallops: those things come from my region and you can't fish for them in the winter. There is a lack of respect for the seasonal industry.
Ms. Hébert, I would like to hear what you have to say about this. It's as if the government thought that making cuts to the employment insurance program wasn't serious. However, that isn't what employers in our regions are saying. They are starting to have difficulty in recruiting employees because people are leaving the region. Our unemployment rate is 16%, and there is talk of bringing in immigrants on a temporary basis to fill these jobs. I find that curious. You might say that something there isn't working.