Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the government can modernize our social security system and, based on the most recent polls, Canadians agree with that. But, first and foremost, we must all think about the kind of society in which we want to live. Together we must all search out the solutions which are appropriate for us. This is a matter of mutual responsibility.
We must, in particular, consider the way we spend and not just how much we spend. This is what the social policy reform is all about. We all agree that the problem has to do with the fact that the nature of work changed drastically over the last 30 or 40 years and that our manpower training programs are no longer adequate, given the new technologies and markets.
We all agree, including the opposition, that our rural and urban areas had a better trained labour force which attracted more investments and generated new jobs. This is why we proposed a two-tier UI reform: one to help people who normally work but sometimes need to rely on unemployment insurance; the other, with more emphasis on training, for those who have difficulty getting back or staying in the workforce. As you know, this is why a sub-committee was set up.
The second element of the proposed plan concerns post-secondary education. In Canada, education falls under provincial or territorial jurisdiction. However, since the early days of Confederation, the federal government has supported post-secondary education because of the fundamental link between education and employment.
That support has partly contributed to the establishment of our universities and colleges. Accessibility is the new great challenge which our post-secondary system must face. Indeed, our institutions must train and prepare many more people than in the past, and the training provided must be better targeted to the new jobs being created.
In fact, in the last three years, the number of jobs offered to university graduates has increased by 17 per cent, while jobs offered to workers with no post-secondary education has decreased by 19 per cent.
The idea that learning is only for kids and young adults is now obsolete. Canadians must be able to enjoy better education and training opportunities throughout their working lives. We are now talking about life-long training. We must modernize the system to avoid restricting access to education and training either for young Canadians who are just starting a career or for workers who want to keep up with the changing economy.
In a competitive global market, investing in learning is a wise decision from an economic point of view, but it must also be a shared responsibility. The goal is to maintain and extend access to post-secondary education and training.
Too many people spend years on welfare, when they could find work if they had efficient support to look for a job or further their education. The fact is that, since 1981, the number of welfare recipients in Canada has doubled to reach a little over three million.
Our social security system should protect the haves-not, that is the people who cannot work, the low-income families, the disabled or chronically ill and especially children living in poverty.
One thing is clear: even if the Canadian government had a surplus instead of a deficit, we still would have to modernize our social programs. We need a social security system that is viable in the long run. We need a system that gives people the means to break free from the bonds of welfare or to seek separation from welfare, as the Opposition would put it. There is too much unemployment, too many children living in poverty. The time has come to act and to solve these problems.
This being said, we encourage Canadians to take advantage of the social security reform process to make their points of view known. In the weeks to come, a committee will hold hearings in all parts of the country. At the same time, hon. members will hold, as I did, public meetings in their ridings to consult their constituents.
Later, the Canadian government will discuss the review with the provinces, and I certainly hope, like a majority of Quebecers, that the Quebec government will take part in this Canada-wide consultation.
The facts are clear. We must concentrate our efforts on the most vulnerable. This is only just and fair.
No one, of course, expects the working paper to solve everything. It addresses a structural problem. It shows us the way to a society that is better adapted to the social realities of the year 2000. However, the Canadian government is also undertaking initiatives to resolve difficulties in all other areas, including a detailed examination of each federal program and the modernization of government operations. It is also taking concrete measures to help businesses take advantage of new technologies and enter foreign markets. That is why we have asked Jacques Parizeau to be part of the team that will leave for China in a few days.
It takes time and a lot of goodwill to bring about substantial reforms, but I can assure you that the Prime Minister, the government and the Department of Human Resources Development have the vision, the patience and the determination necessary to modernize our social programs and to adapt them to the needs of Canadian society and to the requirements of the next century.
