Thank you very much, Chair.
Thank you to the department for being here and being willing to answer questions.
This committee has repeatedly heard that EI sickness benefits are wholly inadequate. This isn't a new thing. During this committee's study on EI modernization, we heard that the benefits should be extended to about 50 weeks, and that was ultimately the recommendation given by this committee to the government and to the department. We now know that the government has rejected that recommendation and wants to extend the benefits up to only 26 weeks.
In the department's consultations on EI modernization, were you able to identify support for the extension of sickness benefits to 52 weeks?