Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the minister for his speech and congratulate him on his perennial re-election in his constituency of Winnipeg South Centre along with his appointment to cabinet in an important post which reflects a great deal of confidence in him on the part of his party and leader.
We welcome the attempts that the government will be making to create a comprehensive social security system and to encourage open discussion of this in Parliament.
Recently the Ministry of Finance released a document that showed our unemployment insurance program to be one of the
most generous in the world. This can create serious disincentives to upgrade skills, to work and to move to find work.
I would like the minister to comment on whether he agrees with that assessment of the unemployment insurance system. Assuming he does, would he share with Parliament his view on what features a new comprehensive social security program would have to combat those problems in the unemployment insurance system?