Mr. Speaker I know the hon. member is concerned about people who are unemployed and people in all industries who have been affected by rapid changes in the marketplace, in technology and so on. However I would point out to him and his constituents that this is a Canadian Alliance opposition day. It is a Canadian Alliance motion we are debating.
I will read the hon. member a quotation. The blue book of the Reform Party, or the Canadian Alliance as we call it today, says the party resolves to:
--investigate the feasibility of replacing the compulsory, government operated, privately funded taxpayer subsidized unemployment insurance program with a voluntary, personally financed, privately administered, government regulated registered unemployment savings plan.
The motion today purports to be concerned about the changes brought about by relations between the United States and Canada in these critically important industries. Yet the party putting the motion does not support the unemployment program we have today. I agree with my hon. colleague that the present program is a minimum for people who find themselves in these terrible circumstances.