Temporary measures have been introduced in response to the crisis. You know as well as I do that the employment insurance system failed to play its part last year. It was no joke; everything literally collapsed. Offices closed, phone lines didn't work and the Internet system crashed. Like a plane in mid-flight, the government had to create the Canada emergency response benefit (CERB) in a matter of days. It worked.
Mr. Housefather, we should never forget that, at some point last year, 9 million people lost their jobs. We are talking about 45% of the workforce. The government had to respond quickly, and did so by implementing the CERB, which ended at the end of September. The government then had time to think and implemented programs that were sustainable. Those who did not qualify for EI were directed to the Canada Revenue Agency and the CRB. Employed workers continued to be covered by the EI system, with some flexibility. This lasted for about one year. Then extensions and all sorts of adjustments were made.
It worked, but now we are moving towards a transition, a future recovery. So we have to think about the EI system in a different way than just in terms of temporary measures. For years, we have been playing yo-yo with pilot projects, temporary measures and things like that. My colleague and I are not stupid people. Yesterday, we studied the budget very carefully. We listened to the commentators, the journalists, the political observers and the civil society players and we all understood that the government would establish a new single eligibility requirement for all Canadians, a permanent 420-hour measure, starting this August.
This made the headlines. Why? Because this sort of budget or document often uses cryptic language. The word “cryptic” means you don't understand or you understand what you want to understand. Who knows? That being said, many people understood that a new 420-hour measure was being set up. They later understood, less than 24 hours after the budget was presented, that it was a temporary measure for one year. That was confirmed; we were told that the consultations had taken place.
Earlier, you said that I have been appearing before your committees since 2011, but really it has been since 2001. I have been involved with unemployed groups since 1979, for 42 years. We started our organization in 1979, during the downsizing, which we called the “Cullen measures” after the name of the minister. The 1990s were a terrible time. Both the Conservative government and the Jean Chrétien government were terrible for the EI system. It has been in a straitjacket for 30 years. Everyone has analyzed and reviewed it to death. That includes this committee.
You can see I am a little upset. Of course, I can calm down, rest assured. The fact remains that your own committee has produced dozens of reports and studies on the EI system. We know the solutions. So please implement them. Your government knows the solutions. Move slowly if you have to, block by block, but do so with a little more resolve. Let's be transparent and clear with the public. That's all I'm saying.