Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Laliberté, you were talking earlier about a uniform rate of 420 hours and the divisor 14 for all of Canada. I understand very well what you mean, because I've been saying for nine years that it's not necessarily the eligible hours that are problematic. According to a sampling I've done in my region with fish processing plants and tourist attractions, the majority of workers are eligible for EI.
Given the pilot projects that are in place, namely the five additional weeks of benefits that are coming to an end and the four additional weeks that we hope will be renewed, those people can get through the off-season.
I think the divisor is what's causing the most problems for people in my region right now, because of the drop in their benefits. Like it or not, it reduces the number of weeks of eligibility, but it's offset by pilot projects for additional weeks of benefits.
A number of businesses in my region are also looking to hire people in various sectors after the seasonal work period, such as fishing or tourism. How do we find that middle ground? We know that people who have been working in the same seasonal fields for years are eligible for the four and five additional weeks of benefits pilot projects.
Changing the zones, the formula or whatever is a complex process. I think there's a simple way to fix it, and I'd like your opinion on that. Couldn't we create an EI category called “other”? For example, a seasonal worker would have a lower eligibility threshold than a worker in another sector. Even in the case of a self-employed worker who has to comply with certain laws that have been amended, do you think that would be a possible quick and effective solution to make it easier for some people to qualify for employment insurance?
Right now, like you, I say everywhere I go that I fear that our rural regions are emptying out at the expense of our seasonal industries, which are vital to us and our economy, just as the automotive industry is to Ontario. The 18 fish processing plants in my area are important.
Do you think that minor changes could be made, without this evening being very legislatively heavy, to help these categories of workers qualify more easily for employment insurance?