Mr. Speaker, it is interesting listening to the hon. member from the Reform Party talk about the taxpayers' money and the government's money. It is all one and the same.
The pension plan is guaranteed. It is a legislated plan. It is guaranteed by the government and by the people of Canada and it guarantees that the pensioners will get exactly what the pension dictates. Their 7.5% is guaranteed. Their pension is guaranteed.
In the public and private sectors, generally, 60% is contributed by the employer and 40% by the employee. This plan is now 70% employer and 30% employee. We are still giving the opportunity over a four year period, starting in 2004, that if the government, the employer, and the people of Canada believe there is not enough money in the pension plan because the actuarial evaluator determines that more money is needed, at that point the maximum that the contribution from the employee can increase is .4% per year, and only if it is determined that it is needed.
The hon. member opposite should understand what this legislation is all about. It would be nice if he had read the legislation, attended some of the committee meetings and was aware of what this bill is all about. I wonder if the hon. member understands some of the precepts in the bill, aside from just having a nice speech written by someone in his office.