Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to put my 2¢ worth in on this very much flawed legislation.
Before we get started, Canadians live in a great and very privileged country. I think we need an opportunity sometimes to reflect on that, and the bill should give us the opportunity to do that. Many of the things we enjoy as Canadians and many of the things we take for granted right now, were won on the fact that workers banded together and formed a common front to earn benefits, to earn decent wages, to fight for pensions, to fight for health benefits.
Unions and organized labour in the country and really, in the free world, have created a middle class. Is there anybody in the House who is not concerned about the inequality of income in the country now, where we see the rich getting richer and those who are experiencing hardship, the poor, are getting poorer? It is a fact.
With an attack on the middle class, unions first and then the middle class, we will see a downward pressure on wages. We will see an attack on benefits. I do not see where that would benefit anybody. It certainly will not benefit the workers of our country. Let us ensure we do not take that for granted.
The bill was flawed from the outset. At first it would charge $1 million a day for a union that did not comply, but the Conservatives had to pull that back. It has been a travesty since the first day.