As I said earlier, there are a lot of unknown factors when someone who is sick. There is no end date. In some cases, the person's health improves, but in others it does not. Let us focus on the better scenario, when a person's health improves.
You must also remember that 50 or 52 weeks is a maximum. When a person receives a diagnosis, medical care follows. The person does not receive a prize. They do not go to a Club Med for 50 weeks. That person is fighting for their life.
Personally, I helped my daughter during her illness. I say I helped her, but there were many people behind me: my wife and my daughter's friends. Providing that help has an impact on people's lives, even if loved ones and friends do it out of love.
On a daily basis, transportation and various activities have to be arranged. Everyone wants the person to get better, go back to work and be productive. Everyone needs to feel appreciated at work.
We are talking about cancer and Émilie's death, but in some cases a sick person may require benefits for 34, 40 or 42 weeks. They have to know there is a safety net. Fifty-five per cent of their salary is quite good. Fifty-two weeks is the maximum.
The calculations we discussed might have been based on the notion that everyone will apply for 52 weeks of benefits, but that is not necessarily the case.
I agree with Mr. Gourde that this situation has to be validated in some way.