Mr. Speaker, we are getting near the end of this stage which unfortunately, just as all other stages of consideration of this bill, has been cut short by the government. First of all, this bill did not follow the normal procedure since it was referred to committee before second reading, where the official opposition usally has the opportunity to talk about the principles of a bill. And now, at report stage in the House, the government has once again decided to limit debate.
I think the government does not want to give us the opportunity to tell the truth about this reform in the House of Commons because it is afraid that, if people learn the truth, there will be even more pressure on the government.
After all these demonstrations in areas where there had not been any in a long time, we had further proof of the people's dissatisfaction in the 40,000 cards Quebecers sent to the Leader of the Official Opposition so he could give them to the Minister of Human Resources Development, who was not there to receive them. But the cards are there.
If people are so much opposed to this bill, it is because it changes dramatically the conditions of the unemployment insurance program, which is the only protection available to ordinary people, to those who are not rich, to those who do not have lifetime job security, and that includes a lot of people.
The only people who will be less affected by this bill are those who already have a steady job, who already work 35 hours a week or more. But even these people will be affected by the level of maximum benefits and by the reduction of the benefit period to 45 weeks. Even they will be affected, because their sons, wives, friends, and people from their areas will be affected, because economically, as well as socially, this bill is a bad bill.
I would say it is a bad bill for Canada as well. And you might look at me and consider it ironic, coming from a member of the Bloc Quebecois. Yes, Mr. Speaker, but on this issue, as on so many others, the official opposition has fulfilled its function because, when we are here, we are defending not just Quebec's interests in this Parliament, but also the interests of Quebecers, which are just as affected as Canadians in Atlantic Canada or anywhere else in Canada by this UI reform.
This reform has an impact on the economy and on Canada. Why? Because since the beginning, UI was, in my view, a form of transfer from the richer regions, those where work is the most plentiful, to the poorer regions, where it is harder to find a decent-paying job.
But the purpose of this bill, and it is there for anyone who reads the documents put out by the department, is to reduce equalization payments. People in the regions quite rightly protested. They were being targeted. But they are not the only ones targeted, far from it.
In addition to tightening up eligibility requirements, as was mentioned, in addition to reducing benefits, in addition to slashing the level of benefits for those without stable jobs, this bill has the
detestable feature of increasing the arbitrary and discretionary power of the commission, which has dwindled to a shadow of its former self, because, to all intents and purposes, the department takes over what used to be the commission's role. Employees are now employees of the department. So, there is more arbitrary power, and definitely more punitive measures.
As proof, I offer the amendments presented by the government, because it was the only one able to present any, on all the provisions involving expenditures and revenues. These amendments solve very few problems for very few people and, in themselves, will not offset the department's intended cuts. Those cuts will be replaced with additional sanctions.
It is important to note that there is a very low level of unemployment insurance fraud, based on what we know about the incidence of fraud in various public programs. It is important to point out that, of the nearly $14 billion paid out in benefits, cases involving fraud accounted for $94 million this past year, or far less than 1 per cent. The number of individuals found guilty of fraud is also far lower than that figure.
I have heard from so many lawyers working with people who have been having horrendous problems with UI. Moreover, numerous rulings by both the umpire and the federal appeal court have repeatedly shown that people are very much at a disadvantage when it comes to unemployment insurance. If they do win their case, all that they obtain as a judgment is that the commission will review its decision, so many people do not even protest, because they cannot afford to.
Something we fear will happen, and it will if the government continues along this path, is that there will be more work done under the table, more arrangements between employers and employees to get around this legislation.
The government still has time, there is no urgency. The purpose of our proposed amendment is to encourage the government to take the necessary time for proper consultations aimed at true reform. There is no rush to precipitate regions into very high unemployment levels, no rush to hurl those with no security except unemployment insurance into far greater poverty.