Human Resources Committee on June 11th, 2009

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Yes, could I invest 100% of it and then qualify for EI?

[Paul Thompson]

Yes. In fact, if you're registering for a course that's more than 10 weeks in duration, you would be able to get—

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Oh, you mean invest in apprenticeship and training.

[Paul Thompson]

It's any kind of training, yes.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

But if my dollar amount is higher.... Let's say the training costs only 10% of what I got back. I would have to use up the other 90% before I would qualify for EI, isn't that right?

[Paul Thompson]

No, if you're registering for a program that's longer than 10 weeks in duration, you would be put into payment upon confirmation of that training.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

But the same doesn't apply if I don't need any training, or would that not matter?

[Paul Thompson]

For a long-tenured worker who doesn't opt for retraining, the allocation period would still apply. The separation payment would be allocated over a number of weeks. And then the EI entitlement would not diminish; it would just be delayed.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Yes, but you don't have a ballpark figure of how many people would be....

[Paul Thompson]

I may be able to get back to you before the end of the session.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Sure, and also on how the pension part...?

[Paul Thompson]

I'm afraid I don't understand the question of how pension relates.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

If I get early pension or if the company provides me with pension, will I still qualify? Would I have to wait for a period of time?

[Liliane Binette]

I guess there are two issues we would need to clarify related to a person getting a pension plan. One is that we would consider the earnings from that pension plan. If it's on a monthly basis, we would allocate it on a weekly—

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

But I wouldn't qualify; I would have to wait?

[Liliane Binette]

You wouldn't have to wait, because it's not part of moneys on separation that we allocate. You would get that money on a regular basis for as long as you live; however—

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

But if I get it as a lump sum, it would be a problem.

[Liliane Binette]

Oh, as a lump sum. If it is as a lump sum and is considered as moneys on separation, yes, we would allocate the money. However, when we allocate the money, we also extend the EI benefit period.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I understand that. If you can give me the number, that would be perfect.

I have another area. I see the various youth employment projects here. Have you considered a youth employment project that would be year-round, which would extend the summer youth program that is creating 39,000 jobs right now for students, and in which some of those jobs could be extended year-round so that some of the students can work part-time as they go back to school? Is that possible under the mandate of HRSDC? Would it violate any provincial norms because these are youth who may still be in school or returning to school?

[Paul Thompson]

I'm going to ask my colleague Joanne to speak to that in more detail, but the Canada summer jobs program is obviously a program focused on the summer.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

I'm talking about year-round, after the summer.

[Paul Thompson]

Right. There's a broader suite of programming, the youth employment strategy, which does support—

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

But they are only for young people who are out of school or out of work. Right now there's no program for young people who are in school or at work, right?

[Paul Thompson]

Correct.

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Under your mandate, are you able to provide such positions—not that there is a program. There's no reason not to, right?