Employment Insurance Fails Working People

I have been trying to keep track of the EI issue in the media lately, and I have come to the conclusion that this is yet another instance where the right wing agenda of our elected officials in Ottawa has frayed the social safety net we once enjoyed in this country. At one time, working people were entitled to collect up to 52 weeks of benefits, if they suffered the loss of their employment. I fell into that category at one time in the 1970's. Their was no work available anywhere in the country in spite of the fact that I was a fully qualified miner, with a college education, and a background in mines engineering. This was a devastating time for me, and my family. It was not too many years later that we began to hear voices complaining about the cost of helping our fellow citizens, who should really be looking after themselves. Tax cuts became the mantra of the middle classes, (when times are good economically, everyone thinks they are middle class or better).

There have been relatively good times economically over the past couple of decades, although this is open to debate as to whether the economic gains have been real, or the result of manipulation of the monetary and banking systems. At any rate most people got on for the ride, at least until the bubble burst last year. A succession of right wing governments, Liberal and Conservative that have reflected the meaner, more self-centred mood of Canadians and have essentially destroyed the EI program as we once knew it. Now that we are in the worst recession in the last 60 years or so, more workers than ever are in need of assistance. The neo-conservatives decry any social programs as the result of our "Nanny-State", and our Federal Government has long since gutted the program that was supposed to be in place to protect workers in bad times. There exists now a mish-mash of conflicting regulations and entitlements that have been designed to limit the amount payable to those facing unemployment and in many cases totally excluded workers who cannot qualify because of geographical location.

There will undoubtedly be an election sometime soon, possibly this fall. Working people should remember the incompetence, and duplicity of the current government and vote accordingly. Employment Insurance is an issue that should be an issue that you consider when you vote in the next election.

For additional reading, you might want to check out these links on the Progressive Economics Forum:

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2009/06/04/stephen-gordon-employment-insurance/

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2009/05/11/ei-before-the-crisis/

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2009/05/01/td-on-ei/