Madam Speaker, I also want to thank the parliamentary secretary for her question. She is quite right about the need to continue the job training and adjustment programs.
I would like to hear what my colleague says about the income needed by people who lose their jobs and are entitled to employment insurance benefits—when they are entitled to them, because let us remember that only 38% of people who contribute to employment insurance can expect to receive benefits.
However, from the time their EI benefits end until the time they receive their income security cheque, if they are not lucky enough to find another job, must I understand that the position of the member's party is to leave a void and leave these people without any income?
In response to her question, we are taking the following option: we must first recognize that they have no income from the time their EI benefits end. Second, do they receive any income or not? Also, have there been experiences in the past?
Yes, and this was done at the Canadian government level through the employment insurance program. This was a program that produced very positive results and was inexpensive. When this program was terminated in March 1997, it was costing $21 million out of a budget of approximately $17 billion. Today, this program would cost between $50 million and $60 million, if we were to start this year or later, out of a budget that totalled $16.3 billion last year.
That is how we respond to the question that was asked. I will conclude my answer by asking another question. Does the Liberal Party agree with us that we must help these people? If it says no, the answer must not stop there. It must tell us why it would abandon these people, when the money is available and the needs are there. There are people now in cabinet who agreed with this only four months ago.