Madam Speaker, as I listened to this member I kept reflecting back on the reason the Reform Party came into the House and why we were elected as a new party with 52 members to represent the people in our ridings across the west.
One of the reasons was the existence of so much top down government with the message that it would tell people in the ridings across the country what government thought was best for them. That has been the attitude of government in the past and that is the attitude of the present Liberal government.
I know the majority of people in my riding do not want employment equity. They feel it is intrusive, abusive, discriminatory and certainly that it reflects the negative side of government in the past.
Since the member is speaking on behalf of many of her constituents, how many of her constituents did she poll on this particular matter? How much is the program going to cost the taxpayer? Did she tell that to her constituents?
Another question came up when I was reviewing some of the act. A section deals with organizations or departments that employ 100 people or more. The employment equity aspect does not involve those below 100 employees. Why would it not include everyone in this whole picture? If this Employment Equity Act is so important, why is everyone not included in it?
Those are the reasons many of us on the Reform side are going to vote against any possible amendments that come up on C-64.