Discussion · Government Orders
Marilène Gill Bloc Québécois
“People are not seasonal, but their jobs are. In fishing and tourism, there is often no work in the winter. We need investment to create more jobs year-round. Until then, employment insurance is what keeps small, isolated coastal towns in my riding alive.”
“Mr. Speaker, my colleague’s question gives me an opportunity to dispel a stereotype about workers in seasonal industries. Words matter. Workers are not the ones who are seasonal; it is the work. Earlier, I gave fisheries and tourism as examples. We might like to have more snowmobiles on the north shore, but that does not always happen. Sometimes there are winters with no work in tourism. The same is true of fishing, because people do not fish in winter. Investment is obviously needed to extend those seasons so that people can work more. Production needs to be diversified. That could lead to a much broader discussion, but the fact remains that these people are the lifeblood of coastal communities with populations of 200 to 300. I am thinking of the lower north shore, where some communities are 200 to 300 kilometres apart and are not connected by road. What do we do about these communities? We need to support them because the support they receive through EI helps ensure that they can continue to develop. It may sound unbelievable, but that is the situation in my riding.”
Mr. Speaker, my colleague’s question gives me an opportunity to dispel a stereotype about workers in seasonal industries. Words matter. Workers are not the ones who are seasonal; it is the work. Earlier, I gave fisheries and tourism as examples. We might like to have more snowmobiles on the north shore, but that does not always happen. Sometimes there are winters with no work in tourism. The same is true of fishing, because people do not fish in winter. Investment is obviously needed to extend those seasons so that people can work more. Production needs to be diversified. That could lead to a much broader discussion, but the fact remains that these people are the lifeblood of coastal communities with populations of 200 to 300. I am thinking of the lower north shore, where some communities are 200 to 300 kilometres apart and are not connected by road. What do we do about these communities? We need to support them because the support they receive through EI helps ensure that they can continue to develop. It may sound unbelievable, but that is the situation in my riding.