<strong>Title: </strong> <a href="/article/235929636-ei-overhaul-underhanded" target="_blank">EI overhaul underhanded</a>
<strong>Category:</strong> <a href="/topics/36-canadian-politics" target="_blank">Canadian Politics</a>
<strong>Written By: </strong> <a href="/profiles/Rural" target="_blank">Rural</a>
<strong>Date: </strong> Saturday, March 08 at 11:51<br><br>
<p>Extract....</p>
<p><span>In a nutshell, the shell game is this: When EI shifts from government program to Crown corporation, its $54-billion accounting surplus is going to get lost in the shuffle. The Harper government is cynically wiping this debt to EI stakeholders off the books – though you won’t see any admission of this anywhere in the budget papers. Instead, Mr. Flaherty merely tells us that the government will provide the new EI with a $2-billion cash reserve and run the plan on a "go-forward basis."</span></p>
<p><span>Now that’s a sweet deal for the finance minister. He’s redeeming the federal government’s $54-billion IOU to EI at four cents cash on the dollar.</span></p>
<p> </p><br><a href="/article/235929636-ei-overhaul-underhanded">read more >></a>

   

I can hear it now.
EI is running out of money, the government will have to cut back payments.

Ultimately, this helps to keep wages low, just the way the bosses like it!

   

I always knew it was a tax. You can't ever get out of it what you put in, now you never will be able to.

They should just remove the word 'insurance' from 'Employment Insurance', and drop the pretence.

   

Yep! The EI surplus has been raided ritually by ever stripe of government for years and then they have the gall to raise "premiums". It is a payroll tax that is in reality a "hidden income tax" on the worker.

   

I became self employed in part because of this rip off, then you get out exactly what you put in.....nothing. Its the Governments two faced spin on this that gets me realy pissed off!

   

Well, to be fair, Rural, they do suggest that you can continue to contribute premiums if you want, even though you won't qualify for benefits. I had a good laugh the day I read that, but there it was, right in the government pamphlet.

   

Can anybody read the websites? All I get is "Page can not be found" on all stories.

Ed Deak.

   

I fixed this one Ed. Sorry for that. Sometimes one slips by me.

   

Sorry Dr.C. but virtually none of the quited sites work. Just tried them.

Cheers, Ed.

   

Let's not forget the $50 billion Paul Martin stole, so that makes $104 billion they owe the workers of Canada

   

That is odd.

Here are direct links to the story. They seem to work.

http://www.vivelecanada.ca/article/2359 ... nderhanded

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorials/1042305.html