Mr. Speaker, I have just one minor question.
As was noted by my hon. colleague, the member for Winnipeg North, one of the groups that supports this legislation and has called for this legislation and indeed has worked very closely with this government, the Department of Human Resources Development, the minister, the parliamentary secretary and others, a group with which I worked very closely on the area of employment equity when I was in opposition, is the Canadian Bankers Association.
When I list radical groups that are out there fighting for social policy and holding down the left wing in this country, the Canadian Bankers Association is not one that automatically leaps to mind. However, I want to congratulate the Canadian Bankers Association for its far-sightedness. It has had in place for a number of years, certainly as long as I have been a member of the House of Commons, employment equity groups. It has met with representatives from the various banks in this country. It has worked within its own organizations for the promotion of women, minorities, the disabled, and so on, and has done a fairly good job.
Now I would not want my friends in the banks in Canada to think that I am saying they are absolutely perfect, because they have a long way to go. There are a number of things I could suggest to them in areas of employment equity where they could make their record better. But they have certainly been very much in the forefront.
I do not question the member's 70 per cent of working mothers. What I do question is the interpretation of the statistics. I have many friends with children of varying ages, and there is no question that for women the ability to juggle domestic and professional duties is fairly severe. The superwoman syndrome is very hard to deal with. When you have small children it is particularly difficult to spend a lot of time away from them. However, it is more difficult not to provide them with the necessities of life, like food, shelter, and other things.
If the hon. member is suggesting that we tell all mothers of small children to stay home and that we therefore will increase the national debt by paying a salary to mothers who stay at home, I find that very interesting. Along with his explanation of why a group like the Canadian Bankers Association supports employment equity, I would like to know whether the Reform Party is advocating that we pay a salary out of Canadian taxpayers' dollars to mothers to stay at home to raise their children. I would also ask him how much he thinks that salary should be.