Government Survey Just Released

Article in Toronto Star June 18, 2009
More benefits not key for all self-employed
June 18, 2009

OTTAWA-A pledge to extend maternity and parental benefits to the
self-employed is now part of the Conservative government's pitch to stay
in power next fall.

Problem is, for nearly half the country's self-employed, it's a pitch
that seems to fall flat.

A survey of self-employed Canadians, commissioned by the Human
Resources and Skills Development Department, shows half expressed
"interest" in parental benefits - which may be taken by either parent or
shared by both.

But 45 per cent expressed little or no interest in them.

As for maternity benefits - paid to a mother who takes leave from work
after the birth of a child - 45 per cent showed interest and, more
important, 47 per cent showed a lack of interest, according to the
survey.

What really interested a majority of the 882 self-employed Canadians
who filled out an in-depth survey was access to sickness benefits or
compassionate-care benefits to care for a child or gravely ill family
member (83-86 per cent).

And 74 per cent liked the idea of EI-like benefits in case of business
failure. One-quarter expressed little or no interest in this.

Yet 56 per cent of self-employed workers were not at all interested in
a mandatory program that would see them charged premiums for access to
benefits.

The lengthy analysis of the needs and attitudes of Canada's
self-employed was completed in May 2006 after the Conservatives took
power.

Last fall, as part of his pitch to female voters, Harper proposed only
a voluntary program that he said would cost $147 million annually and be
self-financed once self-employed people opted in and began paying
premiums.

Right now, self-employed Canadians - outside Quebec - do not pay into
the employment insurance program and are not eligible for jobless
benefits, maternity or otherwise.

More than 2.6 million Canadians are self-employed.

Gross Disappointments

Well now, I had to use the term Gross Disappointment for what has just been put to the House of Commons and Canadians. Other than tagging on 5 weeks of benefits for those already drawing EI, there is nothing there for either the Self Employed or the 600,000 unemployed Canadians who paid in yet are deemed ineligible by the current governments rules.
It made me sick to my stomach when I realised that they are helping the very people that caused this downturn and caused the layoffs and 100,000 unemployed but squat for the uneemployed. I can only hope that Iggy will keep his word that for his support the budget must address the VULNERABLE, because it isn't there. He also said he would not support broad based tax cuts, though small they're there. How on earth do these guys think that they'll have a surplus in 4 years. Do they really think we're that stupid.
We will keep fighting, I don't see this as a set back, maybe I should have started it earlier but I will march on and hopefully you will also.

Hitting the Print Media

Today I sent the MP letter and explanatory cover note to every major newspaper across Canada and a lot of other smaller dailies. Now I'll wait for a response or 2. Still nothing from the MP's across Canada, except the PMO staffer who passes the bucks for Steve.

Sunday January 17th Where We're At

Since Starting this campaign for "Equality Under the EI Act "I have sent all MP's the above letter twice, as I have had no responses , EXCEPT the PMO and Dianne Findley, Minister in charge of EI.
I also sent a copy to just about every social commentary individual, people like Rex Murphy, Don Newman, Rick Mercer, Judy Rebick and organizations that are relevant, like the CLC, CFIB, CD Howe Institute, the Fraser Institute, Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Farmers Union, Council of Canadians and so on.
If you are intersted in helping please contact your MP and the PMO, inundate them, maybe they maybe catch on that this is a real issue that needs to be looked at immediately.
The original CBC interview I did here on PEI has been sent to all CBC outlets, I'm doing a print interview with the Charlottetown Guardian which will be posted hopefully to the Canadian Press network and right in Harpers Heartland I expect to do another CBC interview this time with CBC Calgary.
So Please help if you can, add to this blog, email your cohorts for Social Change!

Campaign begins

Hello all from PEI. I'm a small businessman, self employed and I'm on a mission to have changes made to the current EI Act so to allow the self employed to participate. The self employed make up 15% of Canada's workforce are Self Employed.
Many self employed are beginning to feel the economic crunch, I know I surely am as I already live in a depressed area of Canada...oh well the seafood is cheap!
I have undertaken to have the Government of Canada enact legislation to allow the self employed to contribute to the EI Fund and if ever needed be able to draw down from that fund, which currently has a huge surplus.
I only started this campaign on Tuesday January 12 and I feel I have made a good start. I got my campaign going by getting on the CBC evening news, I have started a Facebook group, EI for the Self Employed m a blog http://www.eifortheselfemployed.blogspot.com/ and today I wrote to every MP in the country stating my reasoning.
That letter is below:


Dear Honourable Member;

I am writing to you today to ask that you work and strive to make changes to the current eligibility rules so to allow for Self Employed business people to be able to contribute too and be eligilible to make a claim for EI. Currently this group, the self employed, makes up 15% of Canada's workforce. In a majority of cases those self employed individuals end up hiring staff and building the economy even more.

I myself run a small business, by myself, it's outdoor work and over the last 3 months I have only been able to work for clients 5 days, not all because of weather, many people are just putting things off because of the economy. I can't survive 3 months with 5 days work, nor can anyone and I truly feel the self employed are being short changed with the current eligibility criteria.

There is hope and an easy solution ready to be acted on by Parliament.

Under the current EI Act,
Regulations to include persons in business
(5) The Commission may, with the approval of the Governor in Council and subject to affirmative resolution of Parliament, make regulations for including in insurable employment the business activities of a person who is engaged in a business, as defined in subsection 248(1) of the Income Tax Act.

Currently there is a segregated group of "self employed' who do have access to EI. That's the fisherpersons, who have been deemed eligilible since 1972.

Currently 15% of Canada's workforce are self employed, and many are struggling like myself to make ends meet, feed their families and pay their bills!

There is also Charter of Rights and Freedoms issues regarding equality for all Canadians. I won't quote the section as I expect you are fully knowledgeable on the Charter.

During the last election, Sept.16th to be exact, Stephen Harper made a campaign promise ( see link below)to open up the EI Fund eligibility to the self employed. While researching for this email I found in the fine print that this change was directed at the women vote and the changes would only benefit self employed women so they could received maternity benefits. Well self employed men don't make babies so where's the equality in that, and the promise seems to have slipped from Mr. Harpers agenda for now.

I would request that you bring this shortcoming to equality under the EI Act forward. Specifically forward prior to January 27th Budget.
In my way of thinking, as I am a Canadian like you, those that choose to opt in be required to pay into the fund, maybe somewhere between Employee and Employer amounts, most self employed couldn't afford both.
In closing I would like to tell you that I did a live interview on CBC Compass, PEI's evening news, I have started a Facebook group, called EI for the Self Employed ( link below) and membership is growing since launching it Tuesday evening. Take a look, I'll gladly add you and be pleased if you comment.

I am currently waiting to do a couple of print interviews which will be posted on CP and CBC PEI is distributing the story they did nationwide, so that's your heads up I guess.
In closing all I ask is that you seriously look at the current shortcomings in EI Eligibility and use your best efforts to assist the 15% of Canadians that deserve equality under the EI program. It can be done and done quickly so as to protect a large portion of the Canadian workforce in the coming tough times ahead.

Facebook Group link http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49008511921#/topic.php?uid=49008511921&topic=12189

Mr. harpers Campaign promise http://www.nowpublic.com/world/harper-campaign-promise-open-ei-program-self-employed

My email is chopkins@pei.sympatico.ca, phone 902-969-8569 Be great to hear from you!

Regards with Sincerity

Chris Hopkins
Montague, PEI

So if you're interested in this action to get access to the EI Fund for the Self Employed check out the links, add a comment here, join the Facebook group and help move this along