Mr. Speaker, the member, my colleague and friend, raises an important issue and that is that, if people feel that the system is broken, that there is no way they can benefit from the system, not only can they give up on the economic system but they can choose political alternatives or opt out completely from the whole political system. We see disfranchisement today with a lot of young people, and the fact that only 22% of first-time eligible voters actually vote may be related to the economic challenges young people face today. They do not hear enough discussion in this place and other legislatures across the country on actually dealing with the issues they face, whether it is their education or their capacity to find work.
The issue of unpaid internships is one that we have dealt with at various points in the House. The fact is that a privileged child from a wealthy family can have a swish unpaid internship when a middle-class or low-income child or adolescent has to go to work at whatever they can do. That deepening of inequality of opportunity at that stage in their lives is really bad for both the economy and society.
I can go further as well. Later today, the Liberal member for Toronto Centre will be speaking. She is a global expert on the whole issue of inequality and the author of the book Plutocrats. She will bring her particular insight, which comes from an international perspective on the issue. I would urge all members of Parliament to be here to listen to her discourse later today. It will provide an international perspective and apply it to Canada, as we consider what are the best ways forward and what countries are doing a better job combining robust pro-growth economic policy with good social and progressive tax policies.