Madam Speaker, I am glad the hon. member brought up the question of EI and the fact people are required to pay into it who do not have any hope at all of collecting it.
Way back in the 1950s when I was a student at university I remember writing a letter to what at that time was the unemployment insurance commission. I said I did not want to pay that premium because I was going back to school. I was ineligible to collect and that for me to be required to pay into a fund from which I could not possibly collect was a form of theft and I objected. I remember getting a nice letter back from the department saying that it was required by law and that it was my employer who was subject to penalty and who would go to jail if he or she failed to deduct it from me and remit it. I went to my boss and he said that for $2.40 a week he was not going to jail and that was the end of the matter. I remember being incensed at that time.
This gives me an opportunity to mention that I have never ever been drawn for private member's bills but one of my private member's bills addresses exactly this question. It would ensure that if individuals at the end of the year were to show ineligibility for employment insurance because they were returning to school, or for any other reason, then they would be able to get a refund of the premiums. That is one of the private member's bills I am working on. I have not yet submitted it to the House but it is in the works. I would like to say that every once in a while we agree with those guys at our far left when there are a few common sense things.