moved for leave to introduce Bill C-298, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act, 1997 (qualifying for benefit).
Mr. Speaker, this bill, which seeks to ease the qualifying rules, is part of a concerted action by the Bloc Quebecois.
It proposes, among other measures, to correct two inequities affecting newcomers on the labour market, people who return to the labour market after two years absence and women who stay at home to raise their children. These people must work 910 hours, instead of 420 to 700 hours, depending on the regional rate applicable to other workers. This creates two categories of unemployed.
The bill also seeks to eliminate the two categories of unemployed created by the current legislation, namely those who worked 700 hours and those who worked less than 700 hours. It is impossible for those who worked less than 700 hours to obtain parental leave or sick leave. This is why we must support this bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)