Bill C-518 (Historical)

An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (compassionate care benefits for dependent children)

This bill was last introduced in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in September 2008.

Sponsor

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Outside the Order of Precedence (a private member's bill that hasn't yet won the draw that determines which private member's bills can be debated), as of March 3, 2008
(This bill did not become law.)

Summary

This is from the published bill. The Library of Parliament often publishes better independent summaries.

This enactment amends the Employment Insurance Act to increase the period during which a claimant can receive special benefits for the care or support of a family member from six weeks to fifteen.
The enactment also provides special benefits for a claimant who is caring for a dependent child with a serious medical condition who must receive health care outside the region in which the child lives.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

All House mentions

Employment Insurance ActRoutine Proceedings

March 3rd, 2008 / 3:20 p.m.
See context

Liberal

Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-518, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (compassionate care benefits for dependent children).

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to introduce my private member's bill to amend the Employment Insurance Act with respect to benefits for the care of dependent children.

As we all know, being sick is hard, but being the parent of a very sick child is even harder. When a child gets sick and needs serious treatment, it is unthinkable for the parents not to be with their child. Sadly, the Employment Insurance Act shows little compassion in this regard.

People should not be punished for the fact that specialized hospitals for children are often located outside of their region. Today, parents who want to be with their sick child in the hospital must voluntarily leave their jobs and are disqualified from receiving employment insurance. My bill would resolve this senseless situation and make parents eligible for 15 weeks of employment insurance so they can be with their child in a specialized hospital.

The employment insurance program must adapt to today's realities, and that is the goal of my bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)