Mr. Speaker, one of the points the member raised was the matter of freezing EI rates at the current levels. For the lay person that may sound like a good thing, because we are not going to increase them, but the fact remains that the EI fund remains operating on an annual surplus.
EI rates have been going down each and every year for the last dozen years. Reducing and continuing to reduce EI rates will lower the payroll burden for companies, which pay 1.4 times the amount of the premium paid by employees, and also put more money into the hands of employees. I hope the member understands that freezing EI rates would basically hurt companies and employees.
There was a story on the news last night about a worker who spent 14 years with an employer. He had uninterrupted work and paid his EI premiums throughout. He switched jobs due to layoff, and there was a gap in his employment record. After some years he was laid off again, but he did not qualify for benefits.
Would the member share his views on whether that kind of employee should participate in benefits from a plan that he has paid into for so many years?