Mr. Speaker, it is very difficult to make the argument that as a group frequent claimants and seasonal workers have been treated unfairly.
This year's report indicates that frequent claimants such as seasonal workers benefit from the hours based system. They now have an average entitlement period of 32.8 weeks, three weeks higher than it was before the reform to EI.
Even with the intensity rule in place, the average weekly benefit rate of frequent claimants exceeded the average for all claimants of regular benefits by 8.2%. They are having higher benefits and they are having them for a longer period.