Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the comments of the member. Certainly the comments about lobbyists and special interest groups reflected the reality of a democracy. That is why, as legislators, we have to be open to the input of all Canadians and balance the legitimacy of their claims with the needs and priorities of all Canadians.
The comments with regard to health care were appropriate because health care is the most significant priority for Canadians. We know that health care costs will rise in Canada. They are rising already, due to population growth, due to the aging of our society, due to the cost of new technology and certainly the cost of pharmacare.
However, I want to ask the member about EI. It is an issue that continues to come up in this place. The member said that we should return EI to a true insurance plan. Those were her words, a true insurance plan, and the premiums to be used only for the purposes prescribed in the act.
As a statement of principle I would agree with that. However, there still seems to be this question, which should be addressed by all legislators in this place, as to whether EI is meant to be an income supplement program as opposed to income replacement program. The member understands the difference between the two, certainly with regard to seasonal workers. I would appreciate the member's comments on the true insurance plan for EI and how she sees it.