Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out something to the hon. member about the 20¢ cut. Yes, it went from $2.10 to $1.98, but in actual fact this budget actually cut only 2¢, because a 20¢ cut had already been announced in last year's budget.
There is nothing here to brag about. This is just one more way to deflect the question and not to be transparent. The 20¢ cut was announced last year, and so the cut this year is only 2¢.
The hon. member seems to fail to see that, after the EI program expenditures are taken out of the fund, there is still a forecast surplus of $3 billion, and another $3 next year. Since this virtual accounting practice was inaugurated, $46 billion have been transferred to reduce the debt. Money has been taken from the EI fund, and the government is not even trying to hide the fact.
I would also like to point out to the hon. member that the government contributes nothing to the employment insurance fund. It is taxpayers' money the government is managing. The government does not contribute a dime. It is employers and workers who contribute. The government takes the surpluses and uses them to create prudence funds, diverse funds and trusts. Trusts are untouchable.
These measures do not make sense. Unions and employers are exasperated by the misappropriation of the employment insurance fund. They are denouncing this situation and asking the government to stop helping itself to the fund. They are asking that the premiums be set by the contributors, that is, the employees and the employers.
The agency that set the rates was disbanded because it said it did not make sense to do things this way. It said the rates were too high compared to expenditures. The government ploughed right ahead.
Currently, because everyone is denouncing the siphoning off of the employment insurance fund, the government is trying to be more transparent. The minister has made a promise not for this year or next year, but for the more distant future.
There will be broad consultations. It is a typical priority of this government to consult so that people will forget everything. But they had better not keep trying to dupe the taxpayers, who are fed up with the government skimming from the EI fund.