Mr. Speaker, in my riding, the economy depends heavily on seasonal work. This includes agriculture, tourism, construction, forestry, and the list goes on.
The employment insurance reform will have a devastating effect on many regions. The Conservatives did not assess the consequences of such a reform. They refuse to listen to the protesters who are calling on the government to back down. Even worse, the Conservatives have no problem spying on the unemployed.
They campaigned on the slogan “Our region in power”. How soon they forget. Now their slogan should be “The regions—who cares?”
I would ask my colleagues across the floor to use common sense and show some compassion. Honestly, who among them would want to change places with a seasonal worker and accept a job that pays less, is over 100 km from their home and effectively means they have to live below the poverty line, which is the case for over three million Canadians?