Madam Speaker, indeed, Canadians want an EI system that is responsive and flexible. They have been waiting 40 years for changes to the system. It has been 40 years since a government has introduced any serious modernization of the EI system.
This government is 100% committed to modernizing EI and sickness benefits. That means reducing the EI waiting period from two weeks to one week. That means extending parental benefits and parental leave for an additional five weeks. That means making working while on claim permanent, providing flexibility to Canadians who are looking to reintegrate into the workforce.
Now we are committed to extending EI sickness benefits from 15 weeks to a full 26 weeks. That is six months. This last change is absolutely critical. It represents the first significant modernization of the EI sickness benefits in 40 years. It is just the first step. We are committed to continued dialogue. We are committed to listening to Canadians on this very important issue.