Status of Women committee  There were two parts to the question. One related to--

Status of Women committee  --the closing of a company in a small town. We're in a particular situation with the recession, and EI is designed ideally to be able to deal with different causes of unemployment. With the recession, which is temporary, where everybody is losing jobs and it's expected to be short-run, then we need equal protection for whoever is losing their job.

Status of Women committee  I just have an answer to the comment that more men have lost their jobs in the current last few months in the recession. Most of the time period that the EI reform has been in place and that research has looked at has been a period of fairly stable or falling unemployment rates.

Status of Women committee  This goes back to the point about comparable workers.

Status of Women committee  A male and a female auto worker getting laid off with the same amount of work are going to be treated similarly. But the general point that several of us were making is that, for various reasons, the work patterns are different between men and women, and the structure of the program is more in tune with a typical male work pattern than a more typical female work pattern.

Status of Women committee  Okay. I'll just make one comment about special benefits generally and we can come back to that. In general, special benefits should be designed with a different logic from that of regular benefits. The program elements that are intended to improve work incentives in the regular EI program make no sense in a program like parental leave, where the intent is actually to facilitate leave taking.

Status of Women committee  I'm fine. I'm finished.

Status of Women committee  Those just give you an idea of the kinds of areas I've looked at. I thought about some recommendations, some of which we can return to in the discussion. But I'll just mention a few, based on my research. For all benefits, both regular and special benefits, I would recommend dropping the minimum divisor in calculating average earnings and therefore benefits.

Status of Women committee  Thank you very much for inviting me. I am very pleased to be able to present. I'm an economist also, and I have written widely on how every income security policy plays out differently for men and women, given that they have different labour market patterns and caregiving responsibilities.

International Trade committee  Thank you very much. I thank the committee for inviting me, for I have a deep and enduring interest in the subject of what Adam Smith called “the wealth of nations” and the concomitant principles of trade, foreign direct investment, and comparative advantage within the rules-based framework called trade agreements.

Fisheries committee  Our fourth recommendation is to protect fish habitat from key activities that can damage habitat, such as destructive fishing practices and the cumulative effect of multiple activities. We adopt Dr. Fuller's evidence to this committee on the first point. On the second point, cumulatively, minor works are considered to pose the greatest threat to fish habitat. To ensure that the cumulative impact of minor works and activities are understood and considered, we recommend, as have other witnesses, that the act require the creation of an accessible database so that DFO knows what's going on out there with cumulative impacts, and can then take more steps.

Natural Resources committee  There's a gentleman I believe you may have heard about in academic circles, a gentleman by the name of Dr. Ken Coates. He is involved with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. He has written quite a bit about the relationship between indigenous players and government. One of his many theses that he refers to is how the north can actually provide a lesson to the rest of Canada with respect to relationships with indigenous peoples and industry.

Finance committee  I'll let Glenn speak to the Holyrood facility and the expenditure required there. If we require details, Charles could step up and speak to C-CORE. The general point I would highlight goes back again to the fact that there are only so many dollars to spend. Mr. Albas made an impression on me.

Public Safety committee  Thank you very much. I will read from my prepared statement. Canada's history of attempting to balance human rights against internal security stretches back to the late 19th century when Prime Minister John A. Macdonald hired a number of undercover detectives to keep watch on the Fenians.

Electoral Reform committee  I think, as was mentioned earlier today, that there is a fear of the word “coalition” in government. I'd like to remind everyone that Canada was formed from a coalition between Sir John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier. The Great Coalition was what brought Canada together, so we really shouldn't be afraid of it. I think, as Dr. Tremblay said, multipartisanship is really crucial, and that's what will allow us to make better decisions for the country.