Maurizio Bevilacqua

[Fédération Des Femmes Du Québec, June 6th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question and I can tell her the reason why the funding has not been made available yet is that the federation did not give us the evaluation reports at the time it should have.

Obviously this matter will be resolved as soon as the evaluations are evaluated.

[Seniors-Reduction Of Age Credit, May 31st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her intervention and I look forward to answering her question.

There are too many people living in poverty today, far too many people with the proper skills in Canada to make us competitive, far too many young people facing the problems and challenges associated with transition from school to work, the 1.2 million children who live in poverty in Canada.

This is precisely the reason why we as a government have taken on the challenge to modernize and restructure Canada's social security system, a challenge that past governments have run away from.

On January 31 of this year the Minister of Human Resources Development introduced a three stage process to the House that would result in new a new social security system for Canada which would address the labour market strategy challenges that we face and would address the concerns cited by the hon. member.

We are taking interim measures to address the issue of unemployment. That is why as a result of the SEED program this summer 60,000 young people will be employed. That is why we are reducing the UI premiums, so that small business can generate more jobs, so that we can generate more jobs.

We were elected on a mandate to create jobs. We are well on our way to doing that. Not only that, we are taking on the very important challenge to modernize and restructure Canada's social security system so that fewer Canadians are faced with the challenges and the plight of living in poverty.

We have only been in government for approximately six months. Our record to date on the measures we have taken so far show that this government truly cares about the lives of Canadians.

[Seniors-Reduction Of Age Credit, May 31st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member that extensive consultation took place in the development of the TAGS program, including the fishermen, food and allied workers associated with the sectoral councils.

The people in our region are really looking for hope and opportunity. It is for this reason that this government has engaged in what I consider a rational and reasonable approach to reshaping the economy of that particular region.

Under TAGS there are at least a dozen adjustment measures that individual participants can use to help themselves adjust to their circumstances.

Throughout the consultation process it was made clear that active participation of the fishermen and plant workers affected by the groundfish crisis would be a requirement for ongoing income support. However, what we heard from the fishermen and the plant workers is that they wanted opportunities such as training from literacy to university levels. We have opportunities with the participation in green projects involving working and learning activities within their communities. No matter which option is chosen, however, participants will be required to take an active role in helping themselves.

The intent to require participants to be actively involved in their adjustment was clear from the start. In effect, each person applying for the benefits of TAGS commits to this process by signing the application form.

The concern raised by the hon. member for Mercier did not relate to the principle of expecting participants to actively take part in the program. Rather the question related to the administrative means used to ensure that participants continue to actively pursue their adjustments while receiving income support.

On May 6, 1994 a special representative of the Minister of Human Resources Development met with officials of the organization. These discussions provided a satisfactory resolution to the concerns raised for all participants. There will not be an administrative social contract which individual participants will be required to sign. The signed application form will suffice.

[Seniors-Reduction Of Age Credit, May 31st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the motion presented by the hon. member for Québec-Est in which, among other things, it demands that the old age security program and the Canada pension plan be maintained in their present forms.

To begin, let me assure the House that the government has absolutely no intention of reducing old age security pensions for current seniors. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Human Resources Development have stated this clearly on numerous occasions.

As well it is important to remember that the February budget included annual increases in old age security expenditures. The total expenditures for 1993-94 were in the order of $19.9 billion. In 1995-96 these will grow to approximately $21.4 billion.

I should add that the government understands very well the importance of these programs to Canada's seniors, especially given the fact that in 1991 approximately 40 per cent of the income of seniors was made up of old age security and Canada-Quebec pension plan benefits. To suggest that the government might somehow sacrifice the standard of living of seniors by massive cuts strikes me as extremely irresponsible.

At the same time society does change and so do the needs which our social programs must address. One trend likely to impact on social programs is our aging population.

Over the next 40 years the proportion of people in our country over the age of 65 will double as well as the proportion of those age 65 and over will increase even more quickly, doubling by the year 2011. By 2031 the number of people over 65 compared with the number of working age Canadians will fall from one in five to one in three.

Clearly these realities must be addressed. To this end the government is studying these issues and will shortly release a paper on the challenges and opportunities posed by our aging society.

This paper will address the full range of issues relating to our aging population and will examine what must be done by governments, employers, working age individuals and families to plan for their future. It will examine the changing roles and needs of our seniors as Canadians live longer and healthier lives. It will look at services and labour market issues and whether changes are required to the public pension system to ensure it remains sustainable. It will also examine the current tax treatment of private savings for retirement.

We all know that planning for an aging society cannot be done overnight. We simply cannot engage in short term thinking to such long term issues. With this in mind the government has committed itself to examining these long term trends so as to ensure that future generations of Canadians will have the same level of security currently enjoyed by our seniors.

To do this it will be necessary to define a set of efficient and compassionate programs to meet our future needs. The release of the discussion paper in the coming months will be the first step.

Of course, any future programs must continue to be fiscally responsible and fully sustainable. These are fundamental issues and to ensure success the government will need the active and informed participation of all Canadians as it seeks to arrive at a consensus on the direction that policies and programs should take.

For instance, older Canadians have declared that they want to be involved in developing solutions. Their voices must be heard as must those of other concerned Canadians. As we move forward with this review, we cannot lose sight of the fact that we have a great deal to be proud of. Our current programs are rooted in a great tradition which is the basis of the caring society Canada has become today.

Today seniors are financially more secure than those of any previous generation. With the planned development of Canada's income security system over the past few decades there has been a substantial decrease in the incidence of poverty among older Canadians. For example, between 1980 and 1992 the incidence of low income among seniors fell from one-third to less than 21 per cent. While single elderly women continue to have a much higher incidence of low income, 53 per cent in 1992, this figure was down significantly from 70 per cent in 1980.

The situation is by no means perfect. Overall seniors incomes are still modest. In a recent survey on aging and independence more than 60 per cent of those between ages of 65 and 69 years named government pensions as their main source of personal income. Still all Canadians can be proud of the network of government programs that have helped to improve the standard of living of seniors in Canada. For instance, the basic OAS pension together with the guaranteed income supplement and spousal allowance ensure financial security, especially for the poorest Canadians as they approach and enter retirement.

The Canada pension plan together with its sister program, the Quebec pension plan, is the social insurance program to which working Canadians contribute. It provides not only retirement income but a measure of income protection against disability and death. The Canada-wide portable coverage these programs give is a great example of what federal and provincial governments can achieve by working together.

Together these programs have made a significant contribution to the economic security of Canada's seniors. Although there is an increasing number of people living well beyond age 65 years, fewer are living in poverty. Proof of the success of this network of programs becomes clear every month as millions of people receive their pension benefits from the government reliably and on time.

In Canada in the late 20th century we can be proud of the initiative and the planning which almost 30 years ago laid the groundwork for the satisfying life of retirement which more and more Canadians are enjoying.

This is not to say that our retirement income system does not need examination, review and revision. In the past we have regularly examined our income security programs, reviewed them in light of changes in our society, and revised them to respond to those changes. We must be prepared to consider changes as they become necessary. We must maintain a sound system based on the foundations of the past and responsive to the needs of the future.

I conclude by urging all members of the House to be active participants in this process of examining our current system, deciding what we as a society want and putting in place a strategy for tomorrow.

By working together we will ensure that a great tradition, our heritage and our commitment as a caring society, will continue into the 21st century.

[Department Of Labour Act, May 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as I was saying earlier, like the other components of the strategy, the emphasis is on pragmatic, meaningful measures to target the real needs of those affected by change and the needs of the region as a whole at a time of unprecedented transition.

The Atlantic groundfish strategy is, in fact, the opposite of the band-aid approach that has characterized the previous responses to the economic crisis in Atlantic Canada. The strategy represents instead a long term investment in communities deeply affected by circumstances beyond their control.

It is also an investment in people, including those older workers who have invested and contributed so much for so long to the groundfish industry.

As members are aware, the Atlantic groundfish strategy has two primary objectives, to re-establish a rationalized, restructured fishery, and to serve as a catalyst for diversified economic growth outside the fishery.

As such, the strategy offers a wide range of programs and options specifically tailored to individual career and employment requirements.

These options include training activities such as literacy training, community based adult basic education, university study programs and entrepreneurial training.

Green projects that connect environment enhancement with meaningful skill development in an emerging industry.

Employment incentives to encourage participants to find and accept jobs.

Self-employment assistance to stimulate business start-ups outside the traditional fishery and support entrepreneurship training.

A community opportunities pool allowing individuals to develop and contribute to community based projects and initiatives where they live.

Portable wage subsidies to allow non-fishery employers to hire people and provide on the job training.

Mobility assistance to provide relocation support for those who wish to find work outside their community.

Several adjustment programs for youth and of course older workers.

I now want to address more specifically Bill C-30, the proposed amendment to the Department of Labour Act. It is crucial to note that when we refer to older workers in the east coast fishery we are talking about those from 55 to 64 years of age. The Department of Labour Act already has the authority to make assistance payments to former employees between the ages of 55 and 64.

However, an amendment to the act is needed to include fish plant workers who will reach 55 within their Atlantic groundfish strategy eligibility period.

It is this amendment, Bill C-30, and the compassionate and pragmatic reasons supporting it that I wish to recommend to the House today.

The strategy was developed with input from all those affected by the change: the provinces, business, industry, unions, communities and, most important, those whose lives and livelihoods were so closely tied to a diminishing resource. Some of them will be part of a streamlined future fishery. Others will take up new opportunities in new fields.

However, for many fish plant older workers there is the real possibility of falling between the cracks at a critical time in their lives. That is why the Atlantic groundfish strategy includes special considerations for their circumstances.

The fact is that because of their long term commitment to the fisheries many older workers have no realistic prospect of finding other work or learning and applying the new skills that a fast changing marketplace demands.

Although they are free to opt for the active training measures available under the Atlantic groundfish strategy, their background could limit the benefits to be gained from the participation in the strategy options and in the long run their chances of finding employment outside the fishery.

In the public hearings of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans many plant workers acknowledged this reality and asked about the possibility of establishing early retirement provisions starting at age 50.

This essentially is what the fish plant older worker adjustment program and the related amendment to the Department of Labour Act proposed; a realistic, compassionate, income maintenance option for these workers who have given so much for so long.

Under this program eligible fish plant workers who are between 50 years of age and 64 as of this May 15 may receive income supplement payments.

The program would be administered jointly by human resources development and participating provinces that enter into agreements. The cost would be shared on a 70 per cent federal and 30 per cent provincial basis. Eligible workers will have 90 days after they are informed of their eligibility to opt from the fish plant older worker adjustment program. They will then receive income support until they reach the age of 65.

Income assistance payments will be calculated on the basis of 70 per cent NCARP unemployment insurance benefits averaged over the three best years of 1988 to 1993 with a monthly maximum of $1,000. Until these benefits begin fish plant older workers entitled to TAGS will receive income support equivalent to their three year average UI NCARP rate less 6 per cent. The older worker adjustment program will be cost shared with the federal funding set at 70 per cent and participating provinces paying the remaining 30 per cent.

For older fish plant workers the maximum cost of this program to the federal government will be about $60 million. We believe that 1,200 older fish plant workers in Quebec and the Atlantic region will participate in this program. About 75 per cent of those workers are in Newfoundland, 15 per cent in Nova Scotia and the rest in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Quebec.

Let me stress that participation in this program is voluntary. Fish plant older workers who want to benefit from the strategies, training and career planning initiatives can do so. The concept presented under the fish plant older worker adjustment program is one that our provincial partners and those personally affected recognize as having specific merit and relevance.

In the past and under previous governments of all stripes older worker readjustment policies rarely refer to early retirement because it was thought to perhaps encourage voluntary layoffs and create pressures for a universal and expensive rush to early retirement. However because of significant changes in social values and work patterns in recent years and yes, in the economy, more people are choosing to retire before they reach 65 years of age.

There can be no doubt that early retirement is an emerging human resources issue seen variously as a source to reduce unemployment, as a useful tool in industry restructuring or as a viable bridge to new lifestyle options. However we do not use the word voluntary for this program since fish plant older workers affected by the Atlantic groundfish crisis have not voluntarily chosen to leave their jobs. The fish plant older worker adjustment program addresses the fact that these workers were forced out of the labour force.

Precedents exist for the kind of initiative we are proposing today, for example, in Atlantic Canada. There is a plant worker adjustment program which already applies to workers aged between 50 and 64 years. The program assists older fish plant workers laid off as a result of fish stock declines in Atlantic Canada. It is now being terminated as it applies only to layoffs which occurred until December 31, 1993.

Other examples of income support programs for laid off older workers exist, including the northern cod early retirement program and the program for older worker adjustment. The northern cod early retirement program applies however to workers aged between 55 and 64. This program was created in 1992 to encourage a permanent reduction in the numbers of fishermen and plant workers laid off because of depletion of the cod fishery.

There is also a program named program for older workers adjustment, POWA, which applies to workers aged 55 to 64 who were affected by major involuntary layoffs from all industrial sectors across Canada. The fish plant older worker adjustment program is a logical application of these initiatives. It is also a necessary response to a unique and urgent set of circumstances.

I spoke briefly about the kind of contribution fishers and plant workers made to the economic life of their communities. Now I want to say a few words about the way of life that their work supported and carried forward through the generations.

Many if not most of the people who need help now live in small communities where people count on one another in a very unique way. Their communities were sustained by a fishery resource that is no longer available to them. The real resource is the people and the people are still there.

The future is theirs to create, but we cannot ignore the present needs. The skills of the past may not be in demand but the courage, the resourcefulness and the determination of the people are still there. This program recognizes how important it is for the individuals involved to maintain self-sufficiency and dignity in the face of unprecedented adjustment and change in their livelihood and way of life.

As such, the government sees the proposed amendment to the Department of Labour Act as essential to fully recognizing the past contributions and future needs of these older workers. We have drawn on the knowledge and experience of many groups and individuals to produce this legislation and this strategy.

It is realistic. It is definitely comprehensive. It reflects the principles and beliefs of this government so it is a fair and compassionate approach. It is designed to meet the kind of emergency which Canadians have not faced since the days of the Great Depression so it is innovative and effective.

This strategy and its programs are based on sound research and wide ranging open discussions with the people who are working to meet this challenge. Those who looked at the report submitted by the task force on incomes and adjustment in the Atlantic fishery, commonly known as the Cashin report, know that serious people examined the situation and came up with some realistic ideas.

The strategy is the product of two months of consultation with fishery workers and their associations and unions as well as representatives from fishing communities and from the processing industry. We have had the benefit of speaking with officials from both federal and provincial departments with responsibilities in this area.

The measures we have brought together under the Atlantic groundfish strategy reflect that consultation. Premier Clyde Wells of Newfoundland is one of the provincial leaders who contributed to the development of this strategy and he welcomed the measures it proposed.

In addition, the fisheries minister of that province, Walter Carter, called it a reasonable package and in Nova Scotia fisheries minister Jim Barkhouse said he was pleased with the strategy. Union leaders have welcomed the approach the government has taken both in helping people and in planning the future of the fish resource.

In the red book and in the speech from the throne, the government clearly spelled out a commitment to fairness and compassion in introducing fishery adjustment measures. We reinforced this commitment a month ago in St. John's. Common sense and common decency demand that the pragmatic positive implications of this amendment receive speedy and unanimous endorsement from all members.

[Department Of Labour Act, May 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-30, an act to amend the Department of Labour Act, proposes to reduce to 50 years the age at which fish plant workers affected by the Atlantic groundfish crisis may be entitled to income assistance payments under the Atlantic groundfish strategy.

When the government announced the Atlantic groundfish strategy last month the Minister of Human Resources Development and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans stressed the importance of listening to Atlantic Canadians and their concerns.

We listened while developing the strategy. We will continue to listen to ensure that its evolution is focused, cost effective and meets the needs of those for whom it was designed.

The massive adjustment being faced by many people formerly involved in the groundfish industry demands a relevant, fair and flexible response from government that recognizes the specific situations of those most affected by sweeping changes to the industry.

A particular concern expressed by many Atlantic Canadians was the situation involving older fishermen and older fish plant workers who have made a significant contribution to an industry in decline and whose chances for new employment are in many cases not good.

The Atlantic groundfish strategy therefore includes as a vital component an older worker adjustment program for fishermen under the responsibility of fisheries and oceans and a similar program for fish plant workers under the responsibility of human resources development which I will be addressing today.

Like the other components of the strategy the emphasis is on pragmatic-

[Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, May 24th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, before I begin my speech I would like to tell you that we are going to be splitting our time on the government side.

I am pleased to say a few words to the House to summarize the Canada student financial assistance bill. I am excited by this bill because I think it will bring positive change to the lives of many students who have been shut out in the past 10 years by the past administration.

As we have heard, the Canada student loans program which was established in 1964 has provided $8.5 billion in loan guarantees to over 2.1 million students enrolled in colleges, universities and vocational courses. It supplements students' own financial resources from their earnings, awards and their families. It exists to meet a pressing need on the part of many young Canadian women and men seeking to better themselves.

The reforms provided in this bill enhance assistance and target those in need, ease the repayment burden, emphasize results, provide for new financing arrangements, set the stage for harmonization of federal and provincial student aid programs, provide flexibility to explore income contingent repayment for education and training.

Hon. members should remember that not only will the student loan arrangements be modernized but new forms of non-repayable grant assistance will be introduced. These improvements will ensure that the program better serves the needs of students.

The youth employment and learning strategy stresses the importance of a well educated, skilled and adaptable labour force for the 21st century. Post-secondary education and training reduces the probability of unemployment and increases the possibility of higher individual income.

Both the Canada student loans program reforms in particular and the youth strategy in general are signs of the government's strong commitment to the young people of our country.

The Government of Canada is embarking on an employment and learning strategy in collaboration with provinces and industry that will help young people prepare for the 1990s labour market and the new global economy. It will seek to improve existing school to work transition measures and introduce new approaches for the education and training systems.

The strategy will start to turn things around for young people by offering them more opportunities to learn, to work, to contribute to society. It builds on the strengths of what has worked in the past and sets the stage for new, innovative models.

As the Minister of Human Resources Development has stated: "We know the status quo is not working when we see too many young people sidelined in society". The government is now laying the foundations for improved education and training systems. We will test new models to help young people make a successful move from school to the workplace.

Revitalized education and training systems represent some of the groundwork for the social security reform process now under way. Social programs are redesigned to restore security, offer employment and hope, and create a more productive economy. The strategy will ensure that the basics are in place to assist young people in becoming productive and self-reliant.

Further changes to education and training programs will depend on the outcome of the social security review. Clearly we need to give young people the opportunity to fulfil their potential, to contribute to society and to help build a brighter future for our country.

The central objective of the Canada student loans program will remain to provide financial assistance to students for their pursuit of post-secondary studies. The government and its partners are committed to a student loans program which provides for subsidized loans for full time students in school and for reasonable costs and terms in repayment.

The challenge we face is to improve our effectiveness in providing access to post-secondary learning in a climate of continuing fiscal restraint. In order to succeed, in a nutshell, we must do better with the resources at our disposal. Enhancements to student aid must go hand in hand with measures to reduce and control program expenditures on defaults.

The reforms have been the subject of extensive consultations with the provinces' student associations such as the Canadian Federation of Students and the National Education Association of Disabled Students, educational institutions such as the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and financial institutions.

There is consensus among the public in general, the provinces and interest groups on the pressing need to proceed rapidly with reforms to this program. There is widespread agreement that we must increase and diversify our assistance to students. Assistance therefore will be enhanced and targeted to those most in need. This will be done by increasing the loan limits for both full and part time students.

Loan levels will be raised by almost 60 per cent and restored to where they would have been had they not been frozen since 1984. The full time weekly loan limit will go up to $165 from $105, meaning that a student could receive a maximum of $5,600 per academic year.

For example, Gregg Byron, a student from a middle income family of four earning around $65,000, living in my riding in Aurora and attending the University of Guelph would not have been eligible under the past system for loans. However today that middle class family member can have access to $2,040 in federal student assistance.

That is positive change for middle class families. They are no longer going to be shut out of the process, shut out of learning and educational opportunities. That to me is the type of change that Canadians have been calling for and that we have acted on.

The part time loan limit will also be increased. A part time student attending the University of Saskatchewan was previously eligible for up to $2,500 in assistance but had to begin repaying the loan almost immediately. That same student under this bill may be eligible for loans up to $4,000 in assistance and will only have to commence repayment of the principal six months after completion of studies.

In total, the value of aid will increase by $2.5 billion over the next five years compared to the previous five years. The reforms also address concerns about the student debt load, loan defaults and the exceptional needs of some students. Some graduates have been hampered in the past by their inability to repay their student loans. The reforms will reduce the repayment burden for high need students, recent graduates as well as facilitate the transition from school to work.

A national program of deferred grants for students in need will be set up to maintain their debt loads at reasonable levels. This will mean that a student with a student loan debt of $22,400 may be eligible for a deferred grant up to $6,840 to write down the actual debt load of that student to $15,600.

Interest relief will be expanded to include low income borrowers. For the first time in the history of the program, borrowers who are employed but do not make enough money to cover their entire student loan payment each month, may be eligible for full or partial interest relief for up to 18 months following the completion of studies.

Special opportunities grants will be provided to meet the exceptional educational costs of students with disabilities, women pursuing doctoral studies and high need, part time students.

I think we have brought some very positive change to this legislation. I look forward to debating this issue in the House and in committee.

Let us remember that when we look at the big picture of Canada student loans and financial assistance, when we look at the issue of a learning continuum and getting our people ready to compete in the global economy, when we speak about providing opportunities to individual Canadians who have previously been shut out of a system that did not bring everyone in, this legislation really brings about positive change to students' lives.

[Canada Petroleum Resources Act, May 9th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the question raised on May 4 by the hon. member for Saint-Jean regarding the letter sent by Roger Simon, chairman of the Kanesatake chamber of commerce, dated April 26.

Mr. Simon is blaming the carelessness of the federal government particularly for the collapse of native businesses and for the alleged misappropriation of federal subsidies by the band council in an unstable situation where public security is concerned.

Public security in the Oka-Kanesatake area is the responsibility of le ministère de la sécurité publique du Québec. It is la sûreté du Québec that provides security services to all residents of this area.

The Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development met on several occasions with Grand Chief Peltier to discuss properties bought by the federal government since the Oka crisis of 1990. These discussions were conducted in order to establish a unified land base.

The minister has proposed various solutions in order to settle the transfer of properties to the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake. This is a very complex file. It remains a priority and requires a mutually acceptable solution to all parties involved.

Regarding the alleged misappropriation of economic development funds, the band has flexibility to manage the funds according to the agreement signed with the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development does not interfere with the day to day business of a band's operations. Such interference would be paternalistic. Band councils and chiefs are accountable to the band members who elect them.

Those economic development funds are included in the recovery plans signed between the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake last January.

[Canada Petroleum Resources Act, May 9th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, measures in the February 22 budget affecting the unemployment insurance program are intended first and foremost to protect the jobs of workers across Canada.

These changes will result in lower costs for Canadian employers, contributing to an increase in exports and helping Canadian products to offer stiffer competition to imports. In fact, the UI premium reduction will lead to the preservation or creation of some 40,000 jobs.

In addition and to clarify some of the statistics mentioned by the hon. member for Mercier, the impact of these changes will be distributed fairly across all regions of the country. Even after all budget measures are implemented, workers in Quebec will continue to receive more than 31 per cent of all UI benefits paid

out in spite of the fact that Quebec only has one quarter of Canada's population.

In fact, last year Quebec received approximately $1.5 billion more in UI benefits than it paid in UI premiums.

The member for Mercier implied that changes will have a significant impact on welfare numbers. In fact, most UI recipients go from UI to a job. Three quarters of all people on UI do not use all of the weeks of benefits to which they are legally entitled. Not many of the people who use up the UI end up on welfare. It has been estimated to be about 10 per cent of those who run out of UI or about 2 per cent of 3 per cent of all UI recipients.

[Canada Petroleum Resources Act, May 9th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that programs introduced in the fifties and the sixties are no longer adequate. They simply do not meet the challenges that we as individual Canadians face in our society.

It is for this reason that the Liberal government under the leadership of the Minister of Human Resources Development on January 31 this year outlined a three stage process to bring about positive change in the lives of Canadians.

We are looking at the whole issue of child care, unemployment insurance, support for families, social services, social assistance and other forms of income support. This initiative is comprehensive in nature. It will through the redesigning of the programs give Canadians the type of social security system that they have been certainly calling for for decades.

This government has seen the need and certainly has the political will and courage to address those concerns. We will in the coming weeks be releasing an action plan which will provide direction and options for reform for Canadians.

This process will be extensive, open and will engage Canadians from coast to coast so that when we are speaking about modernizing, when we are speaking about restructuring Canada's social security system, when we are speaking about giving our young people, our older workers and the working population the types of skills required to face the challenges of the 21st century, Canadians will be given that by this government.