Mr. Speaker, in deciding and planning to replace four tribunals with one, we have paid careful attention to guaranteeing that safeguards would be in place to maintain the integrity of the system.
We cannot hide the fact that the old system, with four tribunals, each with its own staff and processes, was costly and inefficient.
The social security tribunal is a common sense approach that would make it easier for appellants to have their cases heard and to do so at a significantly lower cost to Canadians. By streamlining the appeals process, we would get a process that is not only fair and impartial but more efficient and less costly.
The individual experience of decision-makers for a particular section would be maintained. All members deciding EI cases would be selected in consultation with employers and employee representatives to the EI commission.