We should bring this into context. We want the history lesson because we take some things for granted here now. We take balanced budgets and surplus budgets for granted.
\nTo think back when the Auditor General made the recommendation and the recommendation was followed to put the EI account into general revenues, we have to remember that the unemployment rate was at 12.5%, that interest rates were at 12.5%, that CPP was on the rocks, so things had to be done. We can certainly go back as deep as we want and put whatever view we want on it, but that's the reality.
\nYou indicated in one of your previous answers that the board could decide to increase rates. Could they also decide to cut benefits, should we run into a protracted period of...? The board cannot do that? Where would that have to come from, if that was ever to evolve? Would that have to come to Parliament?
", "fr": "Nous devrions situer cette question dans son contexte. Nous voulons cette le\u00e7on d'histoire parce qu'il y a certaines choses que nous tenons maintenant pour acquises. Nous tenons pour acquis les budgets \u00e9quilibr\u00e9s et les exc\u00e9dents budg\u00e9taires.
\nIl faut se rappeler qu'au moment o\u00f9 le v\u00e9rificateur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral a formul\u00e9 cette recommandation d'inclure les cotisations de l'AE dans les recettes g\u00e9n\u00e9rales, le taux de ch\u00f4mage se situait \u00e0 12,5 p. 100, que les taux d'int\u00e9r\u00eat \u00e9taient \u00e0 12,5 p. 100, que le RPC \u00e9tait en p\u00e9ril, et qu'il y avait beaucoup \u00e0 faire. Nous pouvons certainement creuser tant que nous voulons et interpr\u00e9ter les choses comme bon nous semble, mais la r\u00e9alit\u00e9 c'\u00e9tait \u00e7a.
\nVous avez inscrit dans une de vos r\u00e9ponses ant\u00e9rieures que l'Office pourrait d\u00e9cider d'augmenter les taux de cotisation. Est-ce qu'il pourrait \u00e9galement d\u00e9cider de r\u00e9duire les prestations, si jamais nous nous trouvions dans une longue p\u00e9riode de... L'Office ne peut pas faire cela? \u00c0 qui est-ce qu'il appartiendrait de prendre cette d\u00e9cision si jamais elle devenait n\u00e9cessaire. Est-ce que l'approbation du Parlement serait n\u00e9cessaire?
"}, "url": "/committees/human-resources/39-2/27/rodger-cuzner-2/", "politician_url": "/politicians/rodger-cuzner/", "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/1331/", "procedural": false, "source_id": "2444975", "document_url": "/committees/human-resources/39-2/27/", "related": {"document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fcommittees%2Fhuman-resources%2F39-2%2F27%2F"}}