Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
The major proposed cuts to the UI program will primarily affect women and will do so in a very significant way. Indeed, women, who often hold the most precarious jobs, will be particularly affected by the proposed cuts.
Does the Prime Minister realize that, by increasing the number of hours of work required to be eligible for UI from the current level of 180 to 300 hours to somewhere between 450 and 700 hours, he is directly targeting women, who hold the vast majority of part time jobs in Canada, and that many of them will no longer be eligible for UI benefits?