The cuts are massive and have been mostly in the regions, which means that less money is being spent in the small communities. Not only will these cuts increase the unemployment rate in the regions dealing with a high number of job seekers, but they will also inevitably affect the quality of services offered to them.
How many jobs will be abolished in Canada in the next three years because of the automation of employment insurance claim processing? How many will be eliminated by attrition? What are the reasons behind the decision to centralize claims in one processing centre over another?
In closing, I'd like to remind you that I'm surprised to learn that 99% of people complete their claim electronically, because older people often don't have a computer or aren't very skilled at that kind of task. I seriously wonder.
Lastly, people have told me that when they phone to get information, the telephone lines are busy. So they can't get answers. I think we need to promote contact with individuals when they go to an employment insurance office because they can get their questions answered and be directed to the right resources, depending on what they need.