Yes, that's the total.
I've asked the parliamentary library. I've asked pension experts. I've asked everyone where that figure of $7.2 billion came from. I even asked it in the House. I'm still waiting for the answer. Hopefully we can get it today.
I have no idea where $7.2 billion comes from. The bill is not retroactive. I repeat, it is not retroactive. It applies to roughly 96,000 individuals, and it only becomes law the day it happens. How the government finally assesses the additional payments on that is up to the government to determine at the end of the day. I gave them one solution. I'm not sure where that is.
In terms of the surplus, as you know, billions of dollars were taken out of the superannuation plan in 1999, which by the way was contributed to by us. Every single person put into the federal public service plan--the employees who work in this room--and apparently there was a surplus. The federal government at that time took out billions and billions of dollars.
At the same time, from 1997 until 2008, well over $55 billion of EI surplus was diverted into areas of taxation breaks, spending, or whatever. Over $75 billion that belonged to employees/employers was taken for other purposes than initially intended. This is one of the bones of contention of military and RCMP officers out there, and a lot of other people in the public service when they see it.
In fairness to the debate, that has absolutely nothing to do with Bill C-201; it just shows what happens when there are surpluses in funds. Instead of being put back in to assist members or their families with additional benefits, it was taken for other purposes than what it was intended for. That still sticks in their craw a bit, as they say.