Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure program mentioned by the hon. member is an excellent example. It is a good idea to provide our communities and regions with the adequate equipment but, when it comes to the Kamouraska sewer system-for which we got a very good investment in the infrastructure program; in any case, it is a good thing that the regional development critic could get it, since it proves that we can also have the true power-should we need the authorization of all levels of government, municipal, provincial as well as federal, to decide if this hamlet of 500 people needs a sewer system?
This program was said to be interesting but it is quite inadequate regarding job creation. To me, what has much more of an impact now is the decision to increase the number of weeks of insurable employment while reducing the number of weeks of unemployment insurance benefit. This will cut 1.3 billion dollars in the Maritimes and in Quebec. As you will see, the economic impact will be even greater.
Measures might have been taken, in Bill C-17 for example, to immediately roll back to $3 the contribution of the small- and medium-sized businesses or to provide for the small businesses to pay less and for the larger ones to pay more. Agreed, this would have insured less political visibility, but the economic impact would have been even greater and respectful of the local people's entrepreneurship.