Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague in the Conservative Party for his comments.
I want to ask my colleague how he interprets the way the finance minister has been able to go into the UI fund. The finance minister figured out that the government could go in there, and I know there are certain words we cannot use in this House but we can think about them, and find a way to use $25 billion paid by employers and employees. The government did not put a cent into the UI fund, but it found a way to actually take it and use it for other things while we know that less than 40% of the unemployed qualify for UI.
Being members from the Atlantic region, we know the impact. We know how many people right now are going without UI and without income. Minimum wage is very low in New Brunswick. Jobs are seasonal. Unfortunately, when we have programs to help in developing jobs, we often get refused for government funding because only seasonal jobs are being created. How can we try to create jobs in our region?
The government found a way to get $30 billion. That is $25 billion and $30 billion which equals $55 billion that the government has its hands on. It is a lot of money.
I wonder if the member is seeing what we are seeing, what the workers are seeing and what our brothers and sisters in the public service are seeing. This money is being taken. The government has found two pots. Let us face it. The Minister of Finance is very creative in finding ways to get money that is not the government's and using it for its own purposes.
It is also unfortunate that the President of the Treasury Board is refusing to recognize the inequality regarding pay equity. This is directly affecting the public service employees.
Does my colleague agree with me that we sometimes have to question what the government is doing?