There is a lot of confusion, and some of it is deliberate. There are people who are trying to mislead others, unfortunately.
As I mentioned earlier, the country is carved up into 58 geographic regions. The employment statistics for each of those regions are tracked monthly. There is a complex formula, but the essence of it is that every month the local employment conditions are reviewed and the regional definition is adjusted. For example, if an economy worsens in a particular region, it's easier for the local people to get EI benefits. They have to work less time to qualify, and they get those benefits longer. A really good example right now is Oshawa, Ontario. In the last year there has been a tremendous number of layoffs. But those who are getting laid off now, when it's even tougher to find a job than it was a year ago, can work two fewer weeks to qualify for EI and get those benefits for four more weeks than they could a year ago.
So as that local economy has worsened, they're automatically getting more benefits as they need them without anybody having to interfere through legislation, regulation, or anything else. We're seeing this across the country. It's a very responsive mechanism.
Comparing one province to another is grossly unfair because it varies significantly, not just from province to province but within regions. So when the people are getting laid off in Oshawa, they get easier access to EI compared to some other part of the country that might be experiencing a boom. We believe that is fair. It's most responsive to the people who need it most.