employment insurance

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

CHANDLER – In a symbolic gesture, approximately 25 protesters braved the freezing rain and dropped off a Christmas tree decorated with black holes at the Service Canada office in Chandler on December 17 to denounce the persistent problems with the Employment Insurance program. 

This was another gesture by the Mouvement action chômage Pabok as part of an awareness week by the Interprovincial Alliance that was being held throughout Eastern Quebec and Atlantic Canada. 

“Nothing has been resolved. We’re doing this because we hope it can be resolved. We’re hoping for measures that will extend the Employment Insurance pilot project from five to 15 weeks,” explains the Movement’s coordinator, Nadia Mongeon. 

The arrival of Ginette Petitpas-Taylor as minister responsible for the plan and Member of Parliament for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe (New Brunswick), who is familiar with the issue of seasonal work, raised hope for the unemployed. 

However, with the possibility of a federal election as early as this spring, this hope could be short-lived. “We must not give up. We must force the parties to commit to Employment Insurance,” says Ms. Mongeon, who fears the election of a Conservative government. “I think it will be quite difficult to move a reform or measures to ease Employment Insurance. There is no gain in fact,” she says. 

The relatively low unemployment rate in the Gaspé Peninsula will result in a long black hole this winter. “We are going to have a lot of people who will find themselves in the black hole. It is not only in the fishing sector. It is also in tourism. There are many who tell us that they will finish their benefits in February. It is a long time from February to June. It’s a black hole that’s getting bigger every year,” says Ms. Mongeon. 

The Liberals have repeatedly promised reform since 2015, holding various consultations that have amounted to nothing. “The Liberals have taken certain measures but mostly lightened some of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government’s measures. Apart from the five-week pilot project, the Liberals haven’t done anything very interesting. Apart from increasing health insurance to 26 weeks, but that hasn’t solved the black hole and the number of hours for accessibility,” she says. 

The fight will continue in the coming months. “We’re going to keep protesting. If we give up, it’s like telling the Conservatives – if they’re the ones who come in – that they can do whatever they want… We have no choice,” explains the coordinator. 

For the Pabok Unemployment Action Movement and the Interprovincial Alliance, the calculation that establishes the amount of benefits according to the unemployment rate in effect by region must be eliminated. 

The calculation must be replaced by the adoption of a universal standard of 420 hours of work or 12 weeks of 15 hours.  In addition, the rate should be 70% on the 12 best weeks, for a duration of 35 weeks. 

They are also asking for an additional 15 weeks of protection for workers in the seasonal industry, as long as the minimum floor of 35 weeks is not established.