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PHOTO & SLIDESHOW GALLERIES
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| Last updated at 12:24 PM on 03/11/09 |
Harper government introduces Employment Insurance bill to extend benefits to self-employed  
The Canadian Press—Ottawa
The federal government has introduced a bill that would extend Employment Insurance benefits to the self-employed, including maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care.
Human Resources Minister Diane Finley says self-employed Canadians “should not have to choose between their family and their business responsibilities.”
She calls the move “one of the most significant enhancements to the EI program in the last decade.”
Under the proposed legislation, the self-employed could voluntarily opt into the EI program and receive the same special benefits now available to salaried employees.
Finley estimates there are 2.6 million self-employed Canadians.
It’s the latest in a series of measures proposed or adopted since the economic downturn, including longer EI benefits, more efficient service, and support for training.
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03/11/09
© 2009 
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RED from NL writes: WOW!!!...Wow!!...wow! The Harperites finally, after much much too long, have got something right....
Well are on the right track at least. Lets wait to see how they expect to go about collecting contributions from the self employed before we jump for too much joy...
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 2:46 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Bones II from nl writes: Self-employed individuals actually comprise a surprising portion of working individuals in virtually every North American city. Insurance like this could provide a type of safety net for self-employed people and could certainly encourage increases in the number willing to take on the responsibility. Knowing you'll be warm and won't starve if the operation doesn't pan out is a halting factor for many, and a huge hurdle to overcome if it happens.
A very significant enhancement and a positive step forward with regards to the program and the Canadian families who would benefit. I can't help but wonder if this isn't an attempt to fill up the program bag with money - to be used at the federal governments discretion like the last bag full of extra money from employment insurance premiums was used. General government revenue, didn't it become?
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 2:57 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Jason from PaB, NL writes: There is nothing right about opening this system up to self employed. They get a special treatment where they can opt in in bad times and opt out in good.
Give them a one time career option of opting in or out and leave it at that.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 5:24 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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diane from nl writes: Look Out Now...This will be the biggest way to scam EI EVER.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 8:50 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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