I think it's incredibly appropriate that I'm talking to you today from Iqaluit, where seasonal work is very prevalent.
The ability for Canadians to access extended EI benefits to support themselves and their families is something that is often spoken about to me. They're looking for additional supports as well, whether it's in subsidized housing or child care. Those are the two big things that I hear about specifically from women.
Subsidized housing and child care would certainly be welcomed by women in our industry. We've seen in some parts of the country that those kinds of programs have augmented the number of women.
Primarily, we're a people-facing industry. We employ a lot of women. We are one of the number one employers of women, because we look after people. We provide them with great experiences. That fits in well with the nature of most women.
Providing additional supports through programs such as EI would be incredibly helpful.
I have not had anyone speak to me specifically about extending maternity leave. I do know that the extension.... Being able to take the full year and being able to share part of that time with a spouse is incredibly welcomed and supported.
As I said, it's having EI programs that are specifically addressing seasonal workers to make sure there is flexibility and accountability for the fact that seasonal work doesn't look the same in every part of our country.