Madam Speaker, my question was whether there had already been a job sharing arrangement.
As regards what the hon. member said about job sharing, I can say that, when I was working at the Brunswick mine in 1978 we had a job sharing program. I know what job sharing is about. I am a former union staff member, and we used job sharing arrangements on a number of occasions.
Work is shared. One person may work for three days and be laid off for two days, during which time he or she collects employment insurance to make up for the shortfall. In other words, the workers' salary is topped up so that they do not lose money.
My question does not concern only Air Canada but other airlines as well. Time has passed. Now there is Alcan and other companies. What is the federal government doing for all the companies that are laying people off? As I said earlier, what is it waiting for to take action through a sound an aggressive employment insurance program to help workers and perhaps at the same time provide training programs to people so they can—