Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am speaking in favour of this bill. I have done so already previously in the media. I do not imagine that will surprise many people. I agree entirely with Mr. Handley. I do not believe government should be in the business of dipping into pension plans. Certainly neither should private companies. We have seen what can happen when private companies leave pension plans unfunded and then go belly-up. I do not think it is fair. I think people rely on this money, people's families, possibly estates, count on this money and it is not fair to leave them underfunded or short-funded.
There have been other options that have been talked about, as Members have indicated. The possibility of taking the surplus was there. The Members of this House have decided that would not be appropriate. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the entire supplementary pension is unprotected. We can simply swoop in, in one vote, and take it all and leave past Members high and dry. Well, you know, we are not prepared to do that and I think rightly so. That is not fair to past Members, to their families. We have a fiduciary responsibility. There are still Members in this House currently sitting here before us who are enrolled in that pension plan. I do not think that would be fair at all.
Mr. Speaker, there is no new public money going into this and there has not been for some time. Members are contributing and have contributed in the past. This is also only two-thirds of past pension. The fact remains that there is a surplus that will take us forward without new contributions, and our actuaries tell us it is a conservative estimate with some eight to ten years before any new money would be involved.
Mr. Speaker, I guess for me, standing here today, having talked to my colleagues, I am aware that this bill is going to pass. I had to ask myself if it passes, would I sign up for this pension? The answer, Mr. Speaker, is yes. Knowing that, and knowing that I would sign up for this, I am not prepared to stand here today and say I do not support this and then turn around and say look at that, I will accept the will of the House and quietly sign up. I do not think that is fair.
One of my colleagues has insisted, or suggested -- requested, I suppose, that Members stand here today and make it known how they feel about this pension and which way they are going to vote. Mr. Speaker, I do not even think that is the real issue. We know it is going to pass. I think the thing that Members should be speaking to is whether or not they intend to sign up for it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.