Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government has been a bad news government for women.
Research just released by the Canadian Labour Congress not only confirms that the employment insurance system is failing to meet the needs of women, but that changes brought in by this government in 1996 and 1997 have actually made women's situation worse.
From 1996 to 2001 the gap between men and women receiving benefits has almost doubled. Women over 45, who were almost at a par with men in 1996, are now 13% behind.
In Manitoba the gap has grown from 9% to 20%, while in Quebec it has exploded from 3% to 14%.
The nature of work has changed, yet this government has taken no action to support women who make up the bulk of the new part time service workforce. It has simply defined those, who need help most, out of the benefit range. Only one-third of unemployed women can collect benefits, only 16% in Regina.
It is time to clean the bias against women out of the EI system. It is time to make EI work for women, not against them.