Mr. Speaker, I listened to the minister. Obviously, he talked about all the measures we are proposing, and the objectives we have outlined. But there is one question he did not answer and I think it is extremely important. The Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development is here, as well, and perhaps she should also listen.
In most of these industries there are working men and women who are near the end of their careers, so to speak, and find themselves with nothing. It is very hard for them. A number of these people do not have the background necessary to get retrained quickly. What do we do with these people? Do we give them employment insurance of X weeks and after that they get welfare? That is the question.
If someone is 59 years old and did not even finish high school, how in the world is that person going to get a new job? What is being offered is one pilot project or another. It is also being done in the Gaspé, for those caught in the fisheries crisis, for example. The minister is aware of this. They have created what they call pilot projects and they get people working. Those people are asked to paint cemetery fences. Let us be serious; at some time something has to be made available to these people.
We are proposing the reinstatement of the program to assist older workers, as it already existed, to enable these people to earn a decent income that is more than and different from income security. I would like to hear what the minister says about this.
When an industry closes its doors, as industries have done in Huntingdon and elsewhere, and there are people who are not successfully placed within one or two years, what do we do with them? Do they go on welfare or do we offer them an assistance program such as the one that once existed and that we want to bring back?