Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development closed the door to the possibility of eliminating the waiting period for employment insurance.
She said that “with any insurance, there is always a wait period”. Yet employment insurance is a kind of social insurance, and comparing the employment insurance waiting period to that for private insurance is unacceptable.
As a result of their ultra-conservative ideology, the Conservatives are consigning families to a life of poverty. Workers are being punished for losing their jobs. Workers have to be able to count on receiving employment insurance the moment they lose their source of income.
In this period of economic instability, the government has once again shown utter disregard for people who are in danger of losing their jobs. That is why the Bloc Québécois will soon be introducing a bill to eliminate the waiting period. I urge all members of the House to support this bill.