Mr. Speaker, once again the government is not keeping its promises regarding EI sickness benefits, which are are currently limited to 15 weeks.
The Prime Minister himself told Houda El Kherchi in the presence of Patrice Roy on Téléjournal that he was working on this file. That was almost two years ago in December 2016. Why has nothing been done about this yet? Why are the Liberals refusing to allow experts to come and talk to parliamentarians? Why are the Liberals allowing sick people to suffer and live in precarious circumstances? Could the Prime Minister have made another false promise? What are the Liberals afraid of?
We cannot sit back and do nothing when over a million Canadians are calling on us for help. I want the government to take action. That is our role as parliamentarians and that is the responsibility of the government.
The employment insurance system as it now stands is truly unfair. People do not choose to become ill. Can we accept the fact that we are letting some Canadians live in precarious circumstances because they are ill? Statistics show that one in two Canadians is at risk for cancer. How can this government be insensitive to the fate of half the population?
On Tuesday, January 15, I will be hosting a talk entitled “15 weeks to heal is not enough!” together with Solidarité Populaire Richelieu-Yamaska. The law only provides for 15 weeks of sick benefits, which is just not enough for people to heal and survive financially. More than one-third of recipients currently need a lot more than the program's 15 weeks of benefits. The Employment Insurance Act needs to be revamped.
Setting aside partisanship and political posturing, there are seriously ill people who need our help. On January 15, I will join Mélanie Pelletier, a presenter from Saint-Hyacinthe, Marie-Hélène Dubé, who started the national petition “15 weeks to heal is not enough!”, Yvan Bousquet, from Mouvement Action Chômage, and many organizations and unions in the riding in an attempt to change this unfair law.
Mélanie Pelletier, Marie-Hélène and I need the support of the citizens of Saint-Hyacinthe and Acton, and I hope that many will answer our call.
It is important that we take the time to listen to these people who are sick. I am now getting calls from physicians in my riding who are telling me that patients are having to return to work when they are sick. I sincerely hope that the parliamentary secretary will have good news for us and that there will soon be changes to the 15-week period.