Mr. Speaker, the funds in the transitional jobs fund will be spent over the coming months, up until March 31, 1999, as we have committed to do.
I welcome this opportunity the hon. member for Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques has given me to say that, at the heart of the employment insurance reform, there is the new Canada-Quebec agreement, a historic agreement on manpower.
It is part of this reform that will see $2.7 billion transferred to the Quebec government so it can implement active measures for unemployed workers and welfare recipients in Quebec, who will then have a better chance of re-entering the workforce.