Mr. Speaker, does my colleague realize, as I do, that a crown corporation and an independent fund are different things?
An independent employment insurance fund still forms part of the government's general funds but it is independent and thus is not part of the consolidated revenue fund.
With his experience, the member must know that in this House we can ask questions about funds for which the government is responsible. However, with regard to crown corporations, the government will cast off its responsibility and when we rise in the House to represent our citizens, it will answer that, because it is a crown corporation like Radio-Canada/CBC, we will have to ask the crown corporation. The government will no longer answer these questions.
Is there not a danger that this will happen with a crown corporation, whereas it would not with an independent fund because the government would still be accountable?