Mr. Speaker, my colleague uses my words to validate my very point, which is that the Leader of the Opposition has indicated that this is not necessarily a change forever and for all time. This is a change in reaction to the crisis we face.
Last year, Premier Wall, Premier Stelmach, Premier Campbell and Premier McGuinty were not calling for changes to EI, but now they are because of the crisis we are in. I think we may have to structurally change EI permanently to have a national standard, but at the very least, we should have it at this time of economic crisis. That is what the Leader of the Opposition has said. That is what he has said consistently.
This is a specifically difficult time for Canadians in areas where they have not been hurt before, including my colleague's own province of Saskatchewan. His own premier is suggesting that they should change the rates.
As we are saying, let us have one standard eligibility rate for the country. Everybody seems to understand that except the Prime Minister of Canada and the parliamentary secretary, and the speaking notes that are given to the parliamentary secretary tonight indicate that they are not changing their view.
Canadians want fairness in EI—