Madam Speaker, in support of my colleague for South Shore, I simply advise the member from the Bloc that we from the maritimes need not be told that unemployed people are not lazy.
I will speak to a number of benefits included in the minister's recent announcement. Probably the most important benefit concerns the fact that employment insurance will now be much more inclusive. There are estimates that up to half a million people who were not eligible to be included in the benefits of the unemployment insurance will be included for benefits under employment insurance.
I cannot overestimate how important that provision is because it will allow many Canadians inside the system who currently are on income assistance in the province of New Brunswick to qualify. In many cases they could not find sufficient numbers of weeks to work but could certainly find the number of hours necessary under this provision. There will be people in my province who will be able to qualify with nine or ten weeks of work who might have needed to find fourteen or fifteen weeks of work in the past. They will have access to the program by virtue of the fact that the industries in Atlantic Canada are very seasonal. During peak periods they can work long hours but they cannot extend the long hours over a large number of weeks. It is very important that it has a very progressive outcome by virtue of that.
A message was delivered by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod as follows:
Madam Speaker, the Honourable Deputy to the Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable House in the chamber of the honourable the Senate.
Accordingly, the Speaker with the House went up to the Senate chamber.
And being returned: