Mr. Speaker, I am really glad that the minister has joined us in the chamber today. It is always nice to have a member of the executive branch of the government.
The Liberals have a less than exemplary record on employment insurance. When they were last in power, they raided the EI account to the tune of $54 billion. It was money that was used to pay for corporate tax cuts and whatever else they wanted.
The Conservatives continued on this. Stealing a page from the Liberals' play book, they diverted billions of dollars of EI premiums to cover budget holes. These premiums were paid by workers and by employers for one purpose only: to insure employment.
Will the minister commit today to protecting the EI fund, and if she is not prepared to make that commitment, could she please provide this House with a reason why not?