Madam Speaker, the government has made jobs and growth a priority. That is the underlying theme behind the reforms of the new employment insurance system. Coupled with this theme is the need to create a fairer and more balanced system.
The people of Guelph-Wellington support the government's endeavours to encourage a greater effort to help find Canadians work and to achieve a system that is more affordable and easier to administer. They know that deficit reduction cannot be successful if it is accomplished solely on the backs of the unemployed. They also recognize the inefficiencies of the old system.
Reforms to employment insurance are a part of the government's efforts to restructure the federal government. This is a unique time in our nation's history. The federal government is responding to communities like Guelph-Wellington that have told us to make the system fairer and more balanced.
Let us look at the highlights of this legislation. Changes have been made to make the system fairer to youth, to women, to low income families and to workers in seasonal industries. Tough measures have been brought in to crack down on fraud and most important, work initiatives have been strengthened.
I am not happy with the level of unemployment in Canada. Just a few moments ago I was talking to a colleague from Quebec who is also not happy with those levels.
My own community's unemployment rate is approximately 8 per cent. I find that unacceptable. I know that people in Guelph-Wellington want to work. They want to provide for themselves and their families. From the outset I have encouraged the government to go beyond simply offering basic income support for people in my community who unexpectedly find themselves out of work. Unemployed Canadians must be given a better chance to get back into the job market.
This legislation addresses the fact that not every worker in Canada has uninterrupted weeks of work to qualify for maximum benefits. In this regard I have worked closely with construction workers. The building trades, by the very nature of their positions, work hard. The harder they work the faster they put themselves out of work. They have asked for changes to remove disincentives and changes to reward people for their work. They know that the previous system encouraged fraud and promoted the underground economy. Simply put, by encouraging people to work we can help drive the underground economy above ground. That is good news. It will encourage further government revenues and ensure that the workers are paid the wages that they deserve.
This legislation also makes the system fairer to youth, to women and to low income families. We have moved to counting hours of work instead of weeks, a direction supported by the building trades. In my discussions with constituents it was clear that whether a person worked 15 hours a week or 50 hours, both were treated the same under UI. We needed to address the reality that Canadians no longer work a 9 to 5 day, Monday to Friday.
Many of my constituents are holding down several jobs with different employers or work on contracts for periods of time. The one measure of work that means the same to everyone is the hour. The hour is the very same. The hours based system better reflects the new economy. It will insure a growing segment of Canada's workforce that currently has no protection whatsoever. With this important addition, 500,000 part time workers will have their work insured for the very first time, a move that will benefit woman and youth in particular. I hope that my Bloc friends will agree with that move.
It means that women working part time or earning a living at several jobs will now qualify for maternity benefits for the first time, a move that will strengthen the value of family and work. This provision alone recognizes the importance of the household and the Canadian family.
The legislation also includes a family income supplement for families with children earning less than $26,000. Certainly this is good news for families in Guelph-Wellington and across Canada.
I appreciated the special significance of the seasonal industry. Under the hours based system 45,000 workers, who today cannot qualify for unemployment insurance, will now qualify to receive benefits. I am pleased to quote the building construction trades represented by the Canadian office of the AFL-CIO: "We suggested a UI program where every hour worked and every dollar earned counted. The government has listened".
No discussion of employment insurance can be complete without paying some attention to the issue of fraud. Regrettably there are those who take advantage of our system. The vast majority of Canadians that collect unemployment insurance are doing so because they need some assistance while looking for work. They do not want to be unemployed and they are anxious to return to work. They understand the dignity of work to which the Prime Minister so often refers.
This legislation sends a strong message that fraud will not be tolerated. This applies to both individuals and employers. Companies that knowingly defraud the system will face stiffer financial penalties. If the company cannot pay the price its corporate directors will be held accountable for the loss. These ideas are new and they are necessary.
I continue to raise concerns brought to my attention by individuals, business people and unions. I am pleased that the minister has recognized a need to monitor these changes. The government will measure the impact of these reforms on Canadians workers, businesses and communities. The minister has acknowledged the need to see how Canadians are adjusting. Quality control efforts will mean that the employment insurance commission will make an annual report to the minister through its examination of how Canadian workers, communities and the economy are making the adjustment. I urge them to pay careful attention to the underground economy. We must continue to ensure that what we do does not encourage its growth.
The government has listened and we will continue to listen to make a system that is fair and balanced, fair for users, fair for taxpayers and fair for business. Through these changes we have been responsive to the balanced approach of jobs and growth and deficit reduction. Unemployment affects all of us, everyone.
We must continue to pay close attention to our core values as Canadians. These include fairness, balance and the dignity of work. Bill C-12 deserves our support.