Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. We all know that the last economic recession ended several years ago. We hope that there will not be another one. The last recession ended in 1987. Since then, the surpluses from the employment insurance fund have belonged to the workers of Quebec and Canada.
The EI fund has been an independent fund since 1996. Contributions are made directly by employers and employees. The federal government no longer makes any contribution. This is quite something, considering that out of the $19 billion in surpluses, my colleague estimates that $7.5 billion comes from the employment insurance fund.
Under the bill that was recently passed by the House to amend the Employment Insurance Act, the government will directly appropriate the $7.5 billion that belonged to the workers and employers of Quebec and Canada.
That money allows the government to boast, declare surpluses and profits and unilaterally decide to reduce the debt.
As regards employment insurance, the Bloc Quebecois has always held the same position in the House: let workers and employers discuss and decide what they will do with an insurance plan to which they contributed for their own benefit.
Let these people discuss the issue among themselves. As for the rest of the surpluses, let us give a chance to the provincial premiers, as my colleague suggested, to get together and discuss the future of the huge surpluses that my colleague estimated so accurately once again.