Mr. Speaker, I thank all the MPs who have come into this chamber to speak to and support this very important motion, not only this evening but the previous times we have debated it in the House. As this may be my last time speaking to this motion, I would like to thank the different organizations that have helped us along the way to get where we are today. I speak of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society, the MS Society and many others that helped put this together and stuck with us all the way through. They showed us many examples of what they are facing with respect to the people they represent.
Also, I have to thank my staff. I have been elected for 19 years. I remember talking to one of my first staffers, Darlene Morrison. I asked her about the most disturbing thing she had seen in our office. She said it was people getting sick and not having enough EI to help them get through it. That is when our journey started, back when Darlene told me that. Along the way, over those 19 years, my staff and I have been keeping at this. We brought a private member's bill to the House on it before, and we are not giving up. I am glad our colleagues are moving this forward.
Since 2015, our government has done a lot with respect to EI changes, and we see it in our communities. We have made updates to the regular employment insurance benefits, and we now have parental benefits and the compassionate care benefits, all of which help the regular citizens in this country through tough times. The problem is that, thus far, sickness benefits have not been targeted for any major changes, making them the only benefits that have not received a makeover. Sickness benefits have remained at 15 weeks. That is all people are getting. As my colleague mentioned, this has not changed since 1971, when the EI system came into place.
In our region, the Atlantic region, people need 600 insurable hours to qualify for sickness benefits. However, people can work 420 hours and get employment insurance for 26 weeks. Therefore, that balance is not there.
There is another thing that is very important and has been recognized by my other colleagues. When people are diagnosed with an illness, such as prostate or breast cancer, the doctor will refer them for treatment. However, it could take 10 or 15 weeks before they even start their treatment. All of a sudden, they are 10 or 15 weeks in and just starting their treatment and, guess what, there is no money coming in. A lot of people are just a payment away from their cars and their homes, and their assets are in jeopardy. Not only that, but, as was mentioned by some of my colleagues, the stress on those people at that moment, when they are unable to make payments on their bills, really impedes their recovery, as doctors would tell us, on top of their bodies going through enough due to the treatments.
It seems that every person who is approved for EI sick benefits will get the full 15 weeks. This has to be looked at, because people get the same 15 weeks whether they have broken bones, stress or cancer. Therefore, there should be a real makeover of this, to look at how many weeks should apply to different illnesses. Perhaps the weeks approved could be tailored to a doctor's recommendation regarding the severity of the illness or injury. For example, a person with a broken leg may need only eight weeks, whereas a person with cancer may need 30 weeks. That all makes sense. However, many people are being forced to return to work when they are not well, which is causing increased stress and further contributing to their illness.
Many of my constituents, and those of my colleagues, have talked about this serious situation. Therefore, we have to make some changes. We have to look at this and study it. This was implemented in the 1970s, when most people who fell sick with cancer or had a stroke died. They are not dying now, because we have better medicines and a better medical system. Therefore, we can help them get through it so they can become productive citizens. Other countries are helping them do it. It is an economic benefit to get these people back into the workforce.
A healthy nation is a good working nation. I hope my colleagues in this House will support my motion this evening when it comes to the vote.