Nanny State Says It All

Don Martin: Liberals' EI plan too rich of a pitch

Posted: May 25, 2009, 9:31 PM by Ron Nurwisah

It’s a generous nanny-state concept. Work just eight weeks anywhere in Canada and, if terminated, the Liberals want you to collect unemployment benefits for up to 50 weeks. Graduating students with a summer job that contributes to Employment Insurance, rejoice. Start work after exams, finish in the spring and by Labour Day, 360 work hours later, you qualify for pogey.

The price tag for this benefits bonanza, if ever implemented: $1-billion, maybe more. But hard times and an explanation that fudges the details may turn this imprudent policy into shrewd election politics.

The Liberals are putting a harsh history lesson into practice with their cocky attitude that has snoozy Employment Insurance in the crosshairs as an election-triggering target.

If their 16-seat loss last fall courtesy of the Green Shift carbon tax taught them anything, it’s that any policy that takes longer than a doorstep handshake to explain can’t be sold to the voter. So they will condense this idea into an argument that even banks and right-tilted think-tanks seem to endorse. In a deep, dark recession like this one, finding a job is a difficult challenge that spans all sectors and all regions. The 58 regional EI variables no longer work as a realistic line of demarcation between easy and difficult job-hunting areas based on a recipient’s postal code.

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