Canada's Flawed Unemployment Stats

[whowhere]

The Latest number of people collecting EI is 778,000 for an unemployment rate of 8.6%. If that represents the actual percentage of people out of 34 million people working Canada is in Deep Deep Trouble. That stat shows a working population of only 9 million. Only 25% of the people in Canada work? What is up with That?

Had the Conservatives not plundered and raped 50 Billion from the EI that 50 Billion would last at least 160 weeks at Canada's current collection rate, 3 Years!!!!! I heard a stat of something like 16 million people work in Canada. So how is it that 7 million people are not paying into EI. Are these people on Welfare, How are they not paying their share into EI?

Mathematically 778000 out of 16 million people is a smaller percentage of unemployed. The problem with unemployment is once you exhaust your benefits you are no longer counted in the unemployment statistic. That could explain the difference between 16 million and 9 million counted as the work force.

The Conservatives better start being Honest about Canada's true unemployment and start taking steps to liberate people to making money and contributing to making Canada a better Country.

Ten years ago in Ontario 1 in 10 jobs were through an employment Agency. Today 1 in 3 jobs in Ontario are through an employment Agency.

What are the Conservatives doing about that? What the Conservative are doing is pandering to these Corrupt employers in Ontario and allowing them to bring in Foreign Workers because these Companies are unwilling to invest in Canadians and or pay them.

A Conservative Government is a corrupt government. Look no further than mulroney, need I say more? How is it that he got away with receiving envelopes of Cash and not being brought up on Tax evasion at the very least?

Mulroney is lucky he is not in the US, he would be joining Conrad Black. Not only are Conservative a blunder they are mostly made up of politicians from Ontario. Look at what these politicians did to Ontario before setting their sites on Canada.

Do not trust, do not waste any more votes on the Conservatives.

[Bryan]

Had the Conservatives not plundered and raped 50 Billion from the EI that 50 Billion would last at least 160 weeks at Canada's current collection rate, 3 Years!!!!! I heard a stat of something like 16 million people work in Canada. So how is it that 7 million people are not paying into EI. Are these people on Welfare, How are they not paying their share into EI?

It was the Liberals that stole form EI.

I agree that the unemployment stats are misleading though. They make the situation look much worse than it really is.

[M.Dancer]

Only 25% of the people in Canada work? What is up with That?

In my house I'm the only one with a full time jiob out of 4 people. I tell my kids, I don't care if your ten years old, get a job.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

There is a rather complex calculation used to come up with the governments stats.

[M.Dancer]

7 million under the age of 19

6 million over 65

Then there's all those wiimin....taking time off work to have babies..lazy good for nothin's

[Smallc]

It was the Liberals that stole form EI.

No one stole from EI (both parties took from it while in government), it's really just another tax as far as the aw is concerned. They did break the law in other ways related to EI though.

[punked]

No one stole from EI (both parties took from it while in government), it's really just another tax as far as the aw is concerned. They did break the law in other ways related to EI though.

No it is an insurance which we pay into. Someone stole from it becuase it is not a tax the government can raid. More book cooking.

[whowhere]

7 million under the age of 19

6 million over 65

Then there's all those wiimin....taking time off work to have babies..lazy good for nothin's

34 million minus 13 million equals 21 million. 8.6 percent of 21 million equals 1.8 million. Where's the other 1 million people counted in the Unemployed Stats. Is there 1 million people on welfare, homeless or in shelters?

of these 21 million, how many is paying into EI? If they are not paying their share of EI tax, whynot?

[whowhere]

No it is an insurance which we pay into. Someone stole from it becuase it is not a tax the government can raid. More book cooking.

It is a tax and not an insurance plan. It's a tax because the money paid into it is no where to be found but in the pockets of the Conservatives' buddies.

[punked]

It is a tax and not an insurance plan. It's a tax because the money paid into it is no where to be found but in the pockets of the Conservatives' buddies.

It was the Liberals who went to court to spend that money the Conservatives who keep the law the way it was. It is an insurance plan and as such should not be spent on roads or anything like that.

[Bonam]

I'd much rather have new roads than an insurance fund I'll never be able to draw on.

[punked]

I'd much rather have new roads than an insurance fund I'll never be able to draw on.

Fine get ride of EI and up pay role taxes. That is a tax. Don't create something which sole purpose is too insure the unemployed then steal all the money.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

The truth is that there are more unemployed than we think there is. There is also a lot of people on welfare. The trouble in counting them all is that we are talking apples and oranges. The feds pay for the unemployed, and the provinces pay for those on welfare, and neither party keeps stats on the other or exchanges them with the other.

It should be known to all that statistics answer questions put before them. Ask the right question and you get the right answer.

[Topaz]

If you all stop and think about all working people pay EI and the problem with that is if you are a partimers which is the trend of busineses now, those people pay into EI but can't draw from it if they are laid off , so were's the fairness in that? Before long, the only a small % is doing to be able to draw from it and then yes, its a tax and the government can do ever it wants with it. I think they should make EI optional.

[Smallc]

No it is an insurance which we pay into.

Tell that to the Supreme Court. They'll tell you that you're wrong. It's a tax paid to the government, it simply has a special name.

[M.Dancer]

If you all stop and think about all working people pay EI and the problem with that is if you are a partimers which is the trend of busineses now, those people pay into EI but can't draw from it if they are laid off , so were's the fairness in that?

Why do you keep repeating what isn't true? PArt time workers can be eligible provided they have enough hours logged. The maximum they would need to work is 15 hours a week for 1 year.

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/type....shtml#eligible

[Jerry J. Fortin]

It is a tax though. Just like CPP.

[punked]

It is a tax though. Just like CPP.

Which is wrong.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

Which is wrong.

Sure it is! So are income taxes! Yet that is the reality is it not?

[punked]

Sure it is! So are income taxes! Yet that is the reality is it not?

No because that is called a tax it's mandate is not to insure those who are unemployed. If the Federal government set aside 100 million for new planes one day and the next day they spent all of that fund you would say it is wrong to say "the new planes are coming they set that money aside."

If they want it too be a tax fine make it a tax. Don't pretend it is something it is not.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

No because that is called a tax it's mandate is not to insure those who are unemployed. If the Federal government set aside 100 million for new planes one day and the next day they spent all of that fund you would say it is wrong to say "the new planes are coming they set that money aside."

If they want it too be a tax fine make it a tax. Don't pretend it is something it is not.

I see your point. Can't even say I disagree with you, I was just calling the rose a rose.

[Bryan]

34 million minus 13 million equals 21 million. 8.6 percent of 21 million equals 1.8 million. Where's the other 1 million people counted in the Unemployed Stats. Is there 1 million people on welfare, homeless or in shelters?

of these 21 million, how many is paying into EI? If they are not paying their share of EI tax, whynot?

That's a very misleading way of looking at it. The unemployment rate implies that those are people who are actively looking for work. You are proposing lumping in all the people who either can't or don't want to work. If someone isn't even in the job market, what is the value in including them in stats that are specifically to show the health of that market?

It makes sense that one probably should be able to calculate what that number might be, but it's a different statistic.

[capricorn]

The Conservatives better start being Honest about Canada's true unemployment and start taking steps to liberate people to making money and contributing to making Canada a better Country.

Statistics Canada collects and publishes the data. I haven't heard that the Conservatives instructed them to change their methodology to suit their nefarious purposes. Had they done so, you can be sure a well intentioned public servant would have tipped off the media. Or maybe I'm jumping the gun and this will be the next scandal to erupt. We haven't had an attempted scandal since wafergate, so we're due.

[punked]

Statistics Canada collects and publishes the data. I haven't heard that the Conservatives instructed them to change their methodology to suit their nefarious purposes. Had they done so, you can be sure a well intentioned public servant would have tipped off the media. Or maybe I'm jumping the gun and this will be the next scandal to erupt. We haven't had an attempted scandal since wafergate, so we're due.

No all this stuff goes back to 1997 rules which the Liberals rewrote. Honestly to blame the Conservatives with out giving credit to the Liberals for creating all the rules seems a bit opportunistic.

[OddSox]

Hmm.

The fund was independent until the Chretien/Martin governments changed the rules. At that point all funds were rolled into general revenue (to facilitate their bogus deficit busting agenda) and the legislation was changed to allow different rules for different areas of the country, as well as adjusted to favour certain industries. (eg. fishery workers in the east are allowed to collect without deductions for other income - something that noone else in the country is entitled to).

Determination of the unemployment statistics is solely within the purview of Stats Canada through legislation and is a totally transparent calculation with no oversight from the Government in power.

Further, I have a real problem with the Left advocating a year of wages in exchange for a few weeks of work. I admit, I did try to collect pogie back in the Seventies - by the time the 2-week waiting period was over I already had a new and better job - and the unemployment rate for teens then was way over 20%.

That, (thirty years ago) was the last time I was out of work. WTF should these lazy dips get paid a full year for working 360 hours? Granted, I don't have a guaranteed pension or several months of sick leave payouts, or even any paternity benefits.

In fact, I'm not too clear on when the last time I was sick...perhaps it was around Christmas?

I regulary work between 45-55 hours per week without overtime, or lunches, or coffee breaks - get real. I even take my laptio home with me at all times. Interestingly, my ex-wife is an "administrative assistant" (she's a pretty good typist I suppose) and she was paid in excess of $60k last year. Not bad for a glorified secretary who doesn't even need to know shorthand... Especially when I don't know shorthand either.

Edited July 29, 2009 by OddSox