Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.
Young people are indeed greatly affected. Three out of every four are no longer eligible for benefits. Part of the solution is found in our proposed bill, which seeks to bring back the number of hours worked by a young person to be eligible for benefits for the first time to a more reasonable figure than the 910 or so hours that are currently required, so as to allow people, after their first job and particularly when they have just finished school, to qualify with a reasonable number of hours.
The other objective is to give self-employed persons access to the employment insurance program. In addition to being unfair, the program does not reflect the new realities of the labour market. Many young people are self-employed and would appreciate having some income security. Sometimes, for example, this is what makes the difference in the decision to start a family. There is a new reality, but there is also a solution.
These are measures that the government should consider and that this parliament should approve. Therefore, I ask the consent of the House to make the motion votable, so that we can effectively see where each parliamentarian stands on a crucial issue that is being debated right across the country.