Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to my colleague for sharing her time.
Through you to the minister, it's good to have you before the committee today. Fish harvesters across Canada were pleased when, in 2020, your government made the eligibility criteria for the EI fishing benefit more flexible in light of the pandemic, in light of the challenges they've been facing. After the most recent fishing season, fish harvesters on the B.C. coast, hundreds and hundreds of them, applied for the EI fishing benefit based on the criteria on the government's website. After they applied, it seems the criteria on the website were changed. Now ESDC is rejecting all of their applications.
I've spoken with the fishermen's union. I've spoken with the unemployed action centre in Prince Rupert. These are organizations that have worked for decades with fish harvesters to help them apply for benefits. They understand the criteria in detail. They're baffled as to what's happening here. They've tried to engage both with your department and with ESDC repeatedly and have heard nothing back.
Can you tell the committee, are you aware of this issue and what are you doing to address it?