Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are cutting millions of dollars from research just when we need help, here in Canada, to stimulate the economy. As for the Liberals, they like to do a lot of talking about their support for science and technology but their record is not very good. I am sure that my colleague has difficulty accepting the fact that the Liberals continue to support the Conservative budget even though they themselves say it is not a good budget.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, my colleague really touched upon some of the issues. The fact is that the biggest economic stimulus we could have is ensuring that people contributing to EI actually have access to EI. She also talked about the cost of EI. The cost of EI is not really that great when we consider that these people have actually paid into it.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, when we are talking about the costing issue, it would be really important to note that the cost to those who do not get their money is much more than what the government says it is going to cost. The money is there. Maybe the member could answer as to the impact on women of this, given the fact that very few women are able to access unemployment insurance.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, my colleague speaks with passion with regard to the needs of our communities in the north and across Canada as a whole, given the fact that we have seen so much job loss. The Conservatives talk about retraining. We are not sure who will actually train these people, given that so many jobs have been lost.

Taxation  Mr. Speaker, the Swiss bank UBS has been sentenced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for complicity in tax evasion in the United States. This bank is also active in Canada. Nearly $6 billion has escaped the grasp of the Department of National Revenue. Sound economic management is essential in times of crisis.

Infrastructure  Mr. Speaker, people across northern Ontario have heard the government is prepared to move heaven and earth to get badly needed stimulus cash out the door and into the hands of communities so that they can pursue much needed improvements to their infrastructure. Elected officials in these same communities are now wondering what it is going to take to actually get their hands on that money.

Budget Implementation Act, 2009  Mr. Speaker, I have a question for my colleague. He raised the subject of pay equity. I would like to point out that, today, women earn some 70.5¢ for every dollar men earn. The figure is 64¢, for women of colour and 46¢ for aboriginal women. I would like my colleague's opinion on the Conservative government's attack on pay equity in the budget.

Budget Implementation Act, 2009  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question. I will deal first with the employment insurance question, as I consider it a big challenge. It must indeed be recognized that employment insurance needs to be changed. Our colleague and his party proposed a change last week.

Budget Implementation Act, 2009  Madam Speaker, this budget really is an attack on women. International Women's Day is approaching and it is supposed to be a day of celebration. I think that the celebrations this year will be quite sombre. We will have very little to celebrate because we are not advancing. We are actually going back in time.

Budget Implementation Act, 2009  Madam Speaker, my colleague mentioned legislation that the government wants to bring in—such as pay equity—that has nothing to do with the current economic crisis. As to the building Canada fund, does the member think that the funding the Conservative government plans to inject will really help the communities not selected by the Conservatives?

Aboriginal Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the government just does not get it. Water problems are not only in the Northwest Territories but across Canada. The government promised proper and meaningful consultation and accommodation with first nations on the issue of safe drinking water. This is not happening.

Employment Insurance Act  Madam Speaker, I am glad to join in the debate tonight on an issue that means quite a bit to not only the people I represent in Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, but to people across Canada. The bill would put in place something for which we, in the NDP, have been calling for quite some time: to end the two week waiting period before a claimant can receive employment insurance benefits.

Human Pathogens and Toxins Act  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Verchères—Les Patriotes for his speech and comments. I think that we all agree that we need effective health protection and that this bill could be a step in the right direction. I think it will be very important to hear witnesses in committee in order to ensure that this bill is the best way to guarantee that necessary, useful research poses no risk to Canadians.

Forestry Industry  Mr. Speaker, forestry communities across northern Ontario are at risk. This week there was another announced sawmill closure, throwing 200 more people out of work, resulting in a ripple effect across the riding. This is placing a strain on available credit and threatening jobs. In Manitouwadge one of the creditors has already cut 38 jobs and 100 more are at stake in the next two weeks.

Forestry Industry  Mr. Speaker, the government's answer on the lack of access to credit is inadequate. We can see the consequences: 70% of contractors have been forced to close their doors and only 10% say that they might re-open. Many of these communities have to rely on forestry and diversification is very difficult.