EI

[Topaz]

The Harper gov't is putting more money into the EI and everyone is asking why when the EI had a surplus! I guess it must be that they toook the 54 BIL, took 2 BIL and created a new EI fund and now it seems they must be getting low on funds. Since Harper said he knew we would be in economy problems why didn't he just keep the 32 BIL. they paid towards the debt, for a rainy day. and what good was paying the debt, if they went over by 15 Bil in debt and raised the deficit anyway? http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

[madmax]

The government can say they used the money to pay down the debt. If they didn't give out huge tax breaks to large corps and banks, then they could have used that money to pay down the debt and leave EI alone.

Its all the same money pool, but it was an extra tax that was not designed to pay down the debt or give tax breaks to the very companies providing the layoffs of today.

The government is in a pickle because they encouraged and believed in the LPC practice to take from EI for their special needs.

EI is going to be one of the biggest problems facing the CPC, and could well leave a bad taste in the mouth of the hundreds of thousands who are losing their jobs and discovering that EI has been pilfered. Of course the LPC can pat themselves on the back for the cuts and 48 Billion dollars missing from EI.

Expect the LPC to charge forth with Changes to EI...... and campaign on it, because they can see which way the wind is blowing.

[Alta4ever]

The Harper gov't is putting more money into the EI and everyone is asking why when the EI had a surplus! I guess it must be that they toook the 54 BIL, took 2 BIL and created a new EI fund and now it seems they must be getting low on funds. Since Harper said he knew we would be in economy problems why didn't he just keep the 32 BIL. they paid towards the debt, for a rainy day. and what good was paying the debt, if they went over by 15 Bil in debt and raised the deficit anyway? http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Why is it so hard for you to understand that the 54 billion you are refering to was long gone by the time the conservatives took power. The liberals spent it they let an un funded liability in the EI fund.

As for Harper paying down the debt, it ment less in debt servicing charges for those couple of years.

[madmax]

As for Harper paying down the debt, it ment less in debt servicing charges for those couple of years.

The LPC stole $48 Billion from EI and the CPC $8 Billion.

This wasn't a "special debt reduction tax". If you want a special "Debt reduction tax" then create one. The money Stolen from EI needs to be restored, that is $56Billion, is to be used to support and help those people who paid into it.

But the bottom line is, if the Money contributed by employers and employees wasn't diverted to debt reduction, then those juicy tax cuts for the billionaires wouldn't have been possible unless the government was interested in running a deficit.

The government has allocated more money to bailout the banks then they have for the hundreds of thousands of people who lose their jobs each month.

[Smallc]

The LPC stole $48 Billion from EI and the CPC $8 Billion.

I believe the courts said that you're wrong about that.

[Progressive Tory]

I believe the courts said that you're wrong about that.

Exactly. In fact the Liberals were often criticized for allowing the EI to go into a large surplus. However, that being said, once more it's about hypocrisy. When in opposition Harper howled about using EI funds, and then when he got the key to the cashbox, it was another story.