Thank you for the question.
Quite frankly, I would be insulted with that comment if it were made to me. I was on EI and I went back to work after the mines closed.
EI is the kind of thing that's there for those who need it. I worked for 15 years without any apparent problems. I always had a job. But they closed the mine on me. Unfortunately, I was in difficult straits to find another job, and it took me some time, but I did. So that's what it's there for.
I find it quite appalling that somebody would suggest that someone like me, who is a good, hard-working person, is just looking for a handout so as not to work. I find that very difficult, because there are hard-working people, as I am, and I prefer to work; I don't prefer to be sitting on EI benefits or any other benefits.