We've been advocating for an increase to the employment insurance sickness benefit for a number of years now. It currently provides 15 weeks of coverage, so when someone needs to take time off work, 15 weeks are covered.
From a cancer point of view—and this, of course, is different for different diseases—we know that's not adequate for the average length of time that a person needs to be off work to receive cancer treatment. We have asked for at least 26 weeks of sickness benefits and would see that as being very helpful to those with cancer. Of course, more time would provide for people who are not the average and have much longer experiences and need support.
The extension of employment insurance sickness benefits would be very meaningful to people with cancer and other diseases and would help address what I described earlier, that incredible financial strain people feel when they're ill, and the strain that then puts on families and caregivers and their extended support network around them.
So, yes, we would absolutely be very supportive of an extension to the sickness benefit.