moved for leave to introduce Bill C-283, an act to amend the Canada Labour Code (severance pay).
Mr. Speaker, the object of this bill is to remove an unfair discrepancy in the Canada Labour Code. As the code stands now, if older people are laid off in a corporate shutdown, they often end up unable to collect any benefits because of the fact that they are deemed eligible for a pension. In many cases if they are not 65 years of age, they are not eligible for a full pension. On the one hand the pension is less than it would normally be and on the other hand, they get absolutely nothing from the severance package. This is an unequal treatment based on age.
About five years ago the then minister informed me that his bureaucrats were working on this problem and that it would be dealt with in the next edition of the law. Unfortunately that never happened. I hope to have the support of the House on this bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)