Ms. Raymonde Folco (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the new EI economic regions reflect the growth in our economy, and an improved labour market. But we can understand that seasonal workers in certain communities are worried about these new boundaries and we are sensitive to their concerns. That is why we have been flexible before taking action.

On September 13, the government announced measures to gradually phase in changes to the boundaries in the Lower St. Lawrence region of Quebec and in northwestern New Brunswick. The reactions to these changes have been favourable. Normand Carrier, the spokesman for the Comit, d',tude sur le travail saisonnier au Madawaska, had this to say in the September 15 edition of L'Acadie Nouvelle: "- the federal government's announcement was what was expected. Another good thing is that the federal government has let us know what its policy will be on this issue for the next three years."

But the challenges facing seasonal workers call for more than EI benefits. Governments, employers, communities, unions and individuals will have to join forces in order to improve work opportunities.

That is why we are working at the local level and with our provincial and territorial counterparts to develop lasting solutions. A number of directions are open to us, the first being improved access to training for seasonal workers; the second being-and I urge the hon. member for New Brunswick Southwest to encourage his constituents to discuss this-greater economic diversity in the region; and the third being to develop communities. We must work together in order to come up with effective, long-term solutions.

Comment: The very concept of Employment Insurance for seasonal workers is fundamentally obscene. Some seasonal workers make a high income annual salary in the few months that they do work, yet they collect EI during the other months. There are seasonal jobs for all the Canadian seasons, so those who freely choose to work at a seasonal job during one season should be responsible for finding another seasonal job during the months that their first job is suspended. If they can't handle the risk, the responsibility is theirs to find better employment. Attacking the dignity of those committed to making an honest living through seasonal employment by catering to the minority of individuals too lazy to make free and responsible decisions for themselves is immoral public policy.