Carolyn Bennett on Questions on the Order Paper

With respect to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits: (a) does the sick leave provision of EI allow for a full 65 weeks for sickness benefits before or after the birth of a child of the EI recipient; (b) is there a policy in existence which states that a claimant is only granted the full 65 weeks if the 15 weeks of benefits is taken before the birth of a child of the EI recipient; and (c) does the government plan to issue a policy directive stating that Canadians who become sick while receiving their maternity or parental benefits are entitled to the full 65 weeks of benefits regardless of the illness occurring before or after pregnancy?