I think I would leave it to others to judge the significance of the change. I know we have heard from parents who welcome the ability to take leave and benefits over a longer period of time, so they might be able to reach a period of having access to affordable child care.
If you think more broadly about stakeholder reaction to the budget announcement, they've been very positive with respect to caregiving but it has been more mixed with respect to the parental changes. Some stakeholders have said that living on a 33% replacement rate is expected to be difficult and they don't necessarily see that as a good choice for many families.
I should add, though, that one element of the EI program, which is the EI family supplement, will continue to apply over that extended period of 18 months. In the case of a low-income family, they would receive a top-up not only over the 12 months but over the full 18 months, if they choose that option.