Madam Speaker, I thank my New Democratic Party colleague for her remarks. Earlier, I heard a Liberal member tell us that the government cannot meet all the needs. But, with $20 billion in the EI fund, a fund that does not belong to us, and only 38% of those who pay premiums qualifying, my thought is that this government does not want to take action because it suits it not to do so.
There has been no change in the reform. The matter is being studied. We know very well that this reform is having a catastrophic impact on the unemployed. Several thousands of people are on welfare. Again, the provinces must pick up the pieces because, in addition to not contributing to the EI fund, the federal government is preventing even more people from qualifying. This reform is unfair and the eligibility criteria are too restrictive.
We introduced six bills to improve the system and strike some sort of balance between the previous and present situations. The government is stalling, with answers about how things were before the reform, precisely so that it can rack up billions of dollars on the backs of the unemployed.