Fairness for the Self-Employed To Take Effect

February 01, 2010

Today, Minister of State for Small Business & Tourism Rob Moore announced on behalf of Minister Diane Finley that self-employed Canadians can now apply to receive Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits, which are maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, on a voluntary basis.  This is another example of a campaign commitment that our Conservative Government has kept.
 

• Our Conservative government is not only delivering on our commitment to self-employed Canadians, we are exceeding it. 
  
  
• Our Conservative Government knows that families are the foundation of our great country.  We believe that self-employed Canadians should not have to choose between their family and their business responsibilities.
  
  
• Self-employed Canadians will be able to voluntarily opt into the EI program effective today, and as a transitional measure those who register on or before April 1, 2010, will be able to collect benefits as early as January 1, 2011. 
  
  
• Our Conservative Government is helping Canadians who have previously had little or no income protection to cope with major life events such as giving birth, caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, being sick or injured, or caring for a gravely ill family member. 
  
  
• Our government has listened and has delivered results for self-employed Canadians who are an integral part of our economy and economic recovery.
  
  
• There are approximately 2.6 million self-employed Canadians who have long asked for this support. The previous Liberal government completely ignored these Canadians for 13 years.
  
  
• These hard working Canadians include small business owners, farmers, construction workers, professionals, and those who own a home business, among many others.
  
  
• Extending access to special benefits is the fair and right thing to do.  It is yet another way our government is supporting families and represents one of the most significant enhancements to the EI program in the last decade.
  
  

For Quebec

• Self-employed residents of Quebec will continue to receive maternity and parental benefits through the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan provided by the Government of Quebec. 
  
  
• In addition, they will now be eligible to take advantage of sickness and compassionate care benefits offered by the Government of Canada through the EI program.