Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today on this motion to adjourn, when we know that tomorrow is an important day, budget day. On the eve of the budget, I think it is appropriate for two opposition MPs to raise the issue of the battle against poverty.
Despite what this government may say, the present situation in Canada is far from rosy in this connection. Poverty is increasing, and as I asked on November 25, 1997, of all those billions that are surplus in the employment insurance fund, is there not some way the government could make a special effort to get some of it back into the pockets of the unemployed during the time they are without work?
Let us never lose sight of the fact that, when there is talk of child poverty, it is very rare for poor children not to have poor parents, and the most important issue is to ensure that parents have enough money to live on.
We know that the employment insurance program can be self-financing and make an acceptable surplus with premiums of $2 per $100 of insurable earnings, as compared to the current rate of $2.70 per $100. Could the government not provide in tomorrow's budget for a reasonable premium reduction and use part of the 70 cents difference to improve the quality of life of those who find themselves without work?
Would that not be a good way for the government to really fight poverty with the main tool at its disposal, namely the EI fund?
Another point I wanted to make about the November 25, 1997 question is this. The minister's response at the time was “We are following this reform very closely”. He was referring to the tabling, early in 1998, of a report evaluating the reform for 1997.
The report was tabled last week or the week before, and it does not contain any recommendation. On the one hand, the minister claims to be following the reform closely and promises that, if changes are needed, they will put everything on the table, but on the other hand, he tables a report for the entire year 1997, which does not include a single recommendation.
Will the minister decide to leave evaluation of the reform up to people who are capable of making concrete, short-term recommendations to him, because those now covered by the Employment Insurance Act, who are watching their benefits shrink and the number of weeks dwindle, or who are not eligible for benefits at all, cannot wait for the 1999 report, which will tell us that in 1998 they have still not managed to find the figures?
Members of all the parties on the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities would certainly be able to come up with all kinds of examples and amendments to the act in order to make it more humane as quickly as possible, and ensure an acceptable minimum income for all unemployed workers.
Will the government take the opportunity offered by tomorrow's budget to put solutions on the table and finally ensure that its reform is fair?