Madam Speaker, I listened to my colleague's speech with interest. I would like him to comment on the position the minister took earlier. He said that, as Quebec's sovereignist representatives, all we want to do is raise doubts about the Canadian system. I would like the member, to expose the credibility of this issue, to remind the House that there are national concerns, but there are also social issues.
A few weeks ago, the opposition parties unanimously proposed to the government that management of the employment insurance fund be given to an independent commission. The other opposition parties did not hide behind the fact that we might be sovereignists. They listened to and weighed the merits of this proposal, which received the support of the Canadian Labour Congress, Quebec's labour unions, a number of business associations, and especially representatives of small and medium sized businesses.
Could the hon. member tell the minister that, in this matter, it is not our intention to give the government a hard time, but to ensure that the law works properly and to close the loophole created by the inclusion of small weeks in the calculation of EI benefits?
Could the hon. member tell this House that people today want nothing more than to be sure people will not be getting $200 a week instead of $250, when they need it to live, and that we are awaiting the government's decision to continue the program?