Federal EI program is 'unfair to Ontario'
May 05, 2009 - 11:34 AM
By Les Whittington
OTTAWA - The Stephen Harper government is coming under more pressure to fix federal employment insurance from an unexpected quarter -- MPP Christine Elliott, who happens to be married to federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty.
"The federal EI program is unfair to Ontario," Ms. Elliott, a candidate for leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, said in a news release.
Like Premier Dalton McGuinty and federal opposition leaders, Ms. Elliott complained that many people who lose a job cannot qualify for EI under current rules.
"Ideally, the federal government will quickly reform EI to better meet Ontario's needs. But if this is not possible, then the Province can consider opting out of EI," said Ms. Elliott, MPP for Whitby-Oshawa.
Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff is threatening to try to force an election if the federal government refuses to reform EI by June.
"Canadians are hurting from this recession, and yet our EI system leaves too many unemployed workers out in the cold, and discriminates against them based on where in Canada they live," Mr. Ignatieff said.
He wants Ottawa to scrap the patchwork system of eligibility across the country in favour of a standard of 360 hours over 52 weeks to qualify. Opposition politicians say this would greatly increase eligibility.
But Prime Minister Harper balked, saying Canada has "a very generous system of employment insurance" that was improved in the last budget.
Among other things, the budget extended the EI benefits period by five weeks.
Les Whittington works in the Ottawa Bureau for the Toronto Star
Recommend :