Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague across the way for his comments. I want to thank him for leaving in a number of things in part four.
First I will note the extractive sector, which is an important initiative of the government with respect to the reporting of mining companies abroad.
The member also forgot the latest reports on the growth of the economy by 2.8% last month. He forgot about that. I wish he would have put that in, and also the employment growth.
The member made a comment with respect to the refund of the EI premium. I think he used the words “ripping off the EI fund”. If he recalls our comments from the committee, there are two major contributors to the EI fund. One is the employee and the other is the employer, who contributes about 60%. This is $550 million that is going back, especially to small businesses.
In New Brunswick, many of our small businesses have fewer than 10 employees. We are putting $550 million back in the hands of small business, which in my view would not only help them but would help them maintain some of the employment they have today.
The member cannot say that it is a rip-off. In fact, it is a refund of premiums back to a major contributor called the employer.