Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order as the member for Kingston and the Islands.
I spoke in support of my colleague's Bill C-243 at second reading, where I stated that this bill is an important first step in addressing the needs of pregnant women who work in potentially hazardous environments.
I believe this bill should move forward to the committee stage. Frankly, I was surprised to see the sponsor's own party and Prime Minister opposing this bill. They say they need to consult more before they can support the initiative. That sounds ridiculous.
Feminist agendas include expectant women. By allowing women working in dangerous jobs to begin using their maternity benefits earlier and by implementing a national maternity assistance program strategy, this bill will provide women with greater flexibility in the decision-making, and hopefully lead to implementation of a pan-Canadian strategy.
It is also important to note that employers carry the obligation of accommodation if that reflects the needs of the women who are expecting in their workplace.
I also spoke about my own experience with a high-risk pregnancy while working on an auto assembly line, and the challenges—