Mr. Speaker, although I was born in the Saguenay region, I am the member for Québec. I am happy to be able to express my views on this bill again today. I can say that I am happy to be able to express my views on this bill, but I am not so happy about what this government is getting ready to vote on.
Let me tell you why I am not so happy about this bill. This bill will penalize a great many people in my riding. I am thinking, for example, of the artists, the women and the people in my riding who are currently unemployed. Some of the people in my riding live below the poverty line; in some parts of my riding, 50 per cent of the population live below the poverty line.
So I can say that artists and seasonal workers in my riding, including those working in the tourist industry, will be penalized by this bill.
I am also thinking of the young people and women in my riding. I know that there are many single mothers and young people in my riding who are currently unemployed.
This bill also creates overlap and duplication, despite the fine promises in the throne speech. As recently as yesterday, Mr. Chrétien, the Prime Minister said that he might take steps to end federal encroachment in areas of provincial jurisdiction. More fine promises. They made a commitment in the throne speech, but they do not even have the courage to do so in a bill like the one now under consideration.
I am not happy either about the criteria being tightened. Yet, the government is able to keep $5 billion in the UI fund, even though it no longer pays a single penny into it.
I think this is a bad bill that will penalize a lot of people. It does not take into consideration the labour market reality, the economic situation and the fact that jobs are precarious. This bill also completely disregards the Quebec people's desire to repatriate manpower training.
According to a SONDAGEM survey just released 75 per cent of the people want Quebec to administer the unemployment insurance program. Seventy per cent were of the opinion that occupational training should also come under provincial jurisdiction. That is not coming from us, but from the people, who happen to think like us. This government does not respect the wishes of Quebecers.