They have lost faith in the individual. Yet that basic benefit was built into the program.
We also built in the basic partnership arrangement for job creation. Job fare is working in New Brunswick today involving 1,000 people from the forestry industry, older workers mainly. They are now back to doing reforestation, rebuilding that resource of the nation, cleaning it up and creating a resource that will be richer for the next generation of people.
Then we have the skills voucher that is available to individuals. That is where we come to an interesting point. We have said clearly in the legislation that in terms of the application of the voucher we will do so only with the consent of the provincial governments involved because it is their jurisdiction. We will not deliver it if they say no. It is not our right to do so. We think it is important that individuals have the right to make that choice. If getting back to work means a three-week program in computer upgrading, they should have that right. If the province says no, I will respect that.
I want to go beyond that. In all the measures I have talked about we are prepared to sit down with each province to work on a business plan of protocol, a year by year arrangement to determine the best allocation of the measures and to eliminate all duplication. Where the province has a program that can deliver that kind of opportunity to an individual who is our client, I am prepared to use it.
This is contrary to what the member for Mercier said. We should not listen to her. Frankly the hon. member for Mercier has an incredible track record in the House of crying wolf on misinformation. A year ago she was saying: "Oh, my God, you have changed the UI system. There will be 200,000 people on welfare". Where did it go? It did not happen. In fact it began to get a bit better. We have to look at her track record.
I make very clear that in the province of Quebec the SPRINT program provides a training voucher for people to go back to work. If the province is agreeable we can use it. Clients who pay a premium and get the benefit can use that direct program. I have no problem with that. It is perfectly good. I do not want to duplicate but that means sitting down province by province to work out the arrangements.
The one test I must have as a trustee of the insurance program is to ensure that those people who have paid into the program are eligible for the benefits and that they have a chance at being re-employed because that is the nature of the new benefits.
The member is creating a great fantasy of huge standards and intrusions. Once again the prize for fiction goes to the member for Mercier for fabricating, making up, fantasizing and, more important, trying to scare people, fearmongering again. It is unfortunate. In many ways I have a great respect for the hon. member for Mercier. She is a good person and a compassionate person. The problem is that every time we have a debate in the House-