Pierre Pettigrew

[Social Insurance Numbers, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we have already begun work on the integrity of the system. It is very important that we actually improve it. We are following up on the recommendations of the auditor general.

As the member knows, much of the information comes from the provinces, for instance when a Canadian citizen dies. Along with the provincial governments we are improving the situation. They are feeding information into our systems so the kind of anomalies and frauds the hon. member is referring to will not happen too often.

We are working hard at improving the system alongside the provinces and I am confident that it will be better very shortly.

[Social Insurance Numbers, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we have read the auditor general's report very carefully and we agree completely with the auditor general's recommendations. We need to improve the integrity of the social insurance number. My department has already begun to work on every one of the recommendations of the auditor general, both the recommendations on the social insurance number and on the registry. We intend to continue to have good collaboration with him.

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, what our government has done is put a lot more money in the pockets of the unemployed in terms of active measures to get them into the labour market.

We have invested more than any other government in training. We reached with the Government of Quebec an agreement on manpower under which we will transfer $500 million annually to the province to provide training.

We have established a modern system adapted to today's labour market and we intend to continue serving Canadians well.

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I want to tell the former leader of the Bloc Quebecois how committed the government is to young Canadians.

This is why we set up, outside the employment insurance fund, a youth employment strategy in order to help young people gain entry into the labour market. The hon. member is asking us to help young people go on unemployment. What interests us is helping them enter the labour market.

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out to Bloc Quebecois members that a decision has yet to be made.

Also, we have been working closely with the Minister of Finance for a number of years. This co-operation between the Minister of Finance and myself, under the direction of the Prime Minister and together with the support of our colleagues, has led to the national child benefit, aimed at eliminating family poverty.

We have also set up a transition program, the Transitional Job Fund, in regions where the unemployment rate is too high. We have created a fund to help students who had problems completing—

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

So, we are aware that the participation of workers in the employment insurance system is extremely important to ensure the program's integrity, and that is why we want to make sure we fully understand the figures and numbers before taking appropriate action.

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, we must understand that contributions to the employment insurance fund are not made exclusively by workers, but also by employers and major businesses. So, enough of the Bloc's demagoguery.

We are fully aware that we must take—

[Employment Insurance Fund, September 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Michel Bédard is the chief actuary of the employment insurance branch in my department. He is doing a fine job. His analyses and advice are very important to me. It is an opinion that is very important, but the opinions of all Canadians are also very important when we make decisions about the employment insurance system.

[Employment Insurance Fund, September 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I have already been very clear in the House. No decision has been made on this specific issue, but as a government we have insisted on having good, active labour market measures to help unemployed Canadians reintegrate into the labour market. That priority will not change.

[Employment Insurance, September 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that the Minister of Finance has been very clear on this: no decision has been made in this regard.

It is absolutely obvious, and you have my assurance, that in discussions concerning the surplus in the employment insurance fund, in my capacity as Minister of Human Resources Development, I will continue to apply the policy of the government, whose priority is to help Canadians get back to work, because that is what the unemployed expect from us. And I will continue to ensure that the employment insurance system serves Canadians wel l.