EI definitely does serve, as do many other support programs, as a disincentive to getting people back to work. If there are other forms of compensation that become too easy to get on or stay on and that replace too high a percentage of the overall income.... We have to remember that there is a group of Canadians out there who don't really want to work. I know that it's controversial to say, but I have to tell you that if we create too many avenues for folks to avoid working, they will take them. That's not everybody. I think people who are unemployed once or twice in their lives have a difficult time imagining that there are people who will do just about anything to not work. But they do exist, and unfortunately many of our members cite that as a difficult challenge for them to get over.
On May 28th, 2012. See this statement in context.