Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present a petition to the House regarding the crisis that calls for emergency EI or employment insurance measures. I would like to thank some of the members of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers for putting this together.
It states that a healthy unemployment insurance system is the most powerful of all economic stabilizers, with which I agree; that in the recessions of the early eighties and nineties, UI prevented deeper and longer downturns; and that we have entered this new economic crisis with a weaker EI system and now only 42% of the unemployed receive EI at any given time.
Some of the things they are asking for are: 360 hours to qualify, the increased benefit for at least 50 weeks in all regions, the elimination of the two week waiting period and more flexible innovative uses.
With that in mind, it is my honour to present this petition to the House of Commons on this day.