Todd Russell Calls for EI Improvements

LABRADOR, January 8, 2009 — Labrador MP Todd Russell is calling for improvements to the employment insurance program in the lead-up to the January 27^th federal budget.

“The Harper Conservatives said that the budget would come down early this year in order to tackle the economic situation that is affecting more and more regions and sectors throughout Canada,” Russell said. “No region is immune, as we are seeing already. Improvements to the EI program are needed in order to help all Canadians weather the current downturn.”

As part of pre-budget consultations going on among Members of Parliament, Russell has expressed his support for an extension to the claims period for all types of EI claims, including both labour and fisheries claimants.

In pre-budget consultations, Russell has also revived previous proposals to extend EI benefits to those requiring support on compassionate grounds, such as serious illness, and the elimination of the two-week waiting period.

Russell also echoed calls by the Liberal party’s critic for human resources issues, Nova Scotia MP Mike Savage, for improvements to EI delivery. Savage today repeated his concerns about delays in claims processing, an issue which he raised before the holidays, and during last fall’s election campaign.

“As more and more industries are hit by the economic downturn, there are more and more people being laid off or losing their jobs altogether,” Russell said. “The steady stream of new EI applicants is an unfortunate but entirely foreseeable consequence of an economic slowdown, yet the government has not taken the necessary steps, including hiring more claims processors, to deal with the backlog of claims or the increasing workload. The delay is only causing further hardship on vulnerable working Canadians just when they most need help from the EI system.”

Russell notes that while the government has invited input from all parties into the upcoming budget, it is the Conservative cabinet and caucus which ultimately have to decide whether to adopt such recommendations.

“The Conservatives are in a minority government situation, and they have to be responsive to all Canadians during this difficult economic period we are entering,” Russell said. “The budgetary decisions are ultimately in their hands, and they will have to accept the consequences if they fail to act accordingly.”

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Todd Russell, MP

Labrador

(613) 996-4630