Mr. Speaker, among other things, we have also extended and expanded the work-sharing program, an innovative method by the government to keep more Canadians employed.
We have extended the duration of EI benefits, exactly as the member asked, by expanding nationally a pilot project which already provided five extra weeks of EI benefits to EI claimants in areas of high unemployment. Can he not take yes for an answer? We have also increased the maximum duration of EI benefits available under the EI program, from 45 to 50 weeks.
Through our economic action plan, we will help over 400,000 people benefit from these additional five weeks of EI benefits. We will help 190,000 Canadians, including long-tenured and older workers, get retrained to find a new job and put food on the table for their families. We will help create tens of thousands of new jobs while building and renovating tens of thousands of homes for those most in need.
We are getting the job done for Canadians in the best interests of their families.