Mr. Speaker, we all know that raising payroll taxes is one of the most effective ways to kill jobs. The EI program was projected to be in a surplus even before the Conservatives decided to hike the EI premiums on employers in this budget. Raising premiums might make some sense if there were a real need, but clearly there is not. The unemployment rate is 1.4 million Canadians out of work, with six job seekers for every job.
My question to the hon. member for Kings—Hants is this: would he like to comment on why the Conservatives are raising payroll taxes at a time like this?