Human Resources committee  That's the million-dollar question: How much pressure can be put on this system? I can say that education and training are important. I can say that we have to look at zoning. Someone could say it's reducing hours or raising the ceiling, but you can't look at them singularly. I

Human Resources committee  Yes, exactly. That's it. It is very difficult.... When you talk about sickness benefits, it's not to say they're not important, but how much are they...? Let's have a data-driven discussion on what is needed, where it sits.

Human Resources committee  That's to the point that it is complex. You have part I and part II. Part II, again, is a whole kettle of wax with funding that goes through. We would argue again for simplification, and an additional principle we would have is transparency around where that funding goes, how its

Human Resources committee  I would ask what “effective” looks like and what it costs. What does it cost employers and employees, and the system? We're not able to answer that until we have concrete answers to those questions.

Human Resources committee  Yes, we do realize that, and I made reference to that. When we look at it going forward for our seasonal workers, I would argue that, in this day and age, a seasonal worker is not a seasonal worker across sectors or across the country or in geographical locations. I would actua

Human Resources committee  Yes, I've spoken to a number of principles in EI reform. I think another one for everyone involved would be simplification. I know that's easier said then done, from both an employer and arguably an employee point of view. Sean had spoken to this idea of navigators and navigatio

Human Resources committee  Again, it's a great question, but it's really hard to say that individually without looking at the totality. We haven't even talked about part II of the EI program and the LMDAs and all the programs that are funded there. You can't say one thing without understanding the ramifi

Human Resources committee  I know a number of our business association partners have come out very clearly with the position that any temporary changes that have been implemented to various degrees of understanding through this pandemic, not be made permanent until we are through the pandemic. I think we w

Human Resources committee  Thank you. Just very quickly, we need to act but we need to act prudently. We need to act on decisions that are data-driven. Everything gets thrown at the wall and we have to sort it all out. What belongs where? Does government belong paying within the system? We can't comment

Human Resources committee  Again, CFIB is one of our close business partners. We do have a group of six, and even under the EI commissioner—under the previous one—there was a group that was called the business liaison group, and she convened a group of about 30 businesses. You get the full voice and breadt

Human Resources committee  We made ourselves consulted, yes.

Human Resources committee  Yes, absolutely.

Human Resources committee  Yes.

Human Resources committee  What I would say, first of all, is that we are grateful that, in light of the expanded EI eligibility, the premiums were frozen. We don't have an indication of what that will look like outside of that, and it is very concerning. You heard from colleagues at CFIB last week. Their

Human Resources committee  I mean, first of all, give credit where credit is due. We are thankful that those wage subsidies and those new programs have been put in place for business. It would be difficult to put a figure on it. What I will say is that small and medium-sized businesses constitute 98% of t