Calgary

[Topaz]

The opposition parties have been trying for a change to EI and now it seems the people of Calgary who are on EI are asking for those same changes too. Harper has always had an attitiude if it hurts Alberta it isn`t good for Canada, so maybe NOW the Tories will be better to work with BUt its too late Harper. The NDP and the Libs will get the job done that you didn`t want done. http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/work...0439/story.html

[Molly]

"Human Resources Minister Diane Finley said the provisions would be aimed at those who had been consistently employed for at least seven out of the past 10 years who "are finding themselves, through no fault of their own, unemployed with limited portable skills."

The minister said the "group who have been, frankly, hardest hit by the global recession," such as those in the automotive, manufacturing and forestry sectors, would be targeted for assistance.

The new measures follow a series of initiatives launched in May that allow for some long-tenured workers to claim up to two years of EI benefits so long as they use that time to train for new work."

This sort of stuff grinds my gears. Just as it doesn't matter where you are unemployed (you are still unemployed), it also doesn't matter whether you were employed for the past 5 years, or the last 7, and it doesn't matter what job you are currently not employed to do..... If you are out of a job and can't find another, then you are bloody well out of a job!

It is bad enough that tremendous numbers of people who, in good faith, paid for employment insurance, but don't qualify, but it is tremendously worse that virtually all employment-related programs, whether or not they have any co-funding through EI, are contingent upon first qualifying for EI.

By continuing to connect everything through the 'fits our traditional presuppositions perfectly' lens, the true target - the unemployed (and trying not to be)- is missed. One benefit is merely stacked on the last, for the select few.

Edited September 8, 2009 by Molly

[Topaz]

Another thing that is happening those people who are 50 and over, will probably never find a job. Most employers won't hire them but they can't tell them is about their age because its against the law to do so. They can spend the money to train but it will probably be, be a waste of time, as one guy I know was told that at a employement agency. So what does the government tell theses people? Move. How can people move, if they don't have the money, they probably have to sell their house and it the high umemployemnt areas, houses aren't selling. So some areas are seeing the welfare going up and for Ontario that can't good because of it debt load. I think there will be a greater number of voters this time around. People are angry, over a million unemployed.

[fellowtraveller]

It is bad enough that tremendous numbers of people who, in good faith,

Good faith has nothing to do with it. The rules for quailfication are not unclear, any worker can learn them and how and when they qualify for benefits.

Move. How can people move,

How? Like this-wrap up their local affairs, and get in their car and drive to a place where they can earn a living, instead of staying home and struggling to gain enough weeks to qualify for their entire lives. Being born and raised in a particular place does not mean the rest of your fellow citizens owe you a lifetime of paid seasonal leisure time.

[Topaz]

Good faith has nothing to do with it. The rules for quailfication are not unclear, any worker can learn them and how and when they qualify for benefits.

How? Like this-wrap up their local affairs, and get in their car and drive to a place where they can earn a living, instead of staying home and struggling to gain enough weeks to qualify for their entire lives. Being born and raised in a particular place does not mean the rest of your fellow citizens owe you a lifetime of paid seasonal leisure time.

Most people can't, no matter what your finances and life is like. There were people in my area that did try going out to Alberta. Guess what. Alot come back because the cost of living was too much or they lost their job, plus if split up families. The guy that has worked for 10-20 years has make their own way in the EI. Harper wants employers to pay into, unless he changed his mind. So then, that lets farmers into it and they will be able to draw from it every winter and their workers. Remember, if you worker you pay into EI and therefore you should be able to draw from it when you needed it.