Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Harper defends changes to EI program after premiers’ criticism

SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Changes to the federal employment insurance program are fair to Atlantic Canada’s seasonal workers, contrary to assertions by the region’s premiers, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday.

Harper, who was in Summerside, P.E.I., for a funding announcement, said it’s false to claim that the new rules the Conservative government have introduced are harming people who can only find work for part of the year.

“Let me be very clear in terms of any misinformation, there is nothing, absolutely nothing in our changes that targets seasonal industries or seasonal workers or requires anybody to leave their region to get a job,” he said.

“We are simply making sure that when jobs are available that Islanders can fill them and when there is no work for Islanders in their region and they’ve paid into the fund, they will be eligible to receive.”

The changes have stoked protests in the region. Just two weeks ago, Atlantic Canada’s premiers asked Ottawa to suspend them, accusing the federal government of implementing the new measures without consultation.

The premiers have agreed to study the effects of the changes and present interim findings to the annual meeting of Canada’s premiers in July.

They plan to have the final results of their study complete by mid-fall.

The federal government has estimated that changes to EI will save the public treasury $12.5million this year and $33million next year.

Original Article
Source: thechronicleherald.ca
Author: MICHAEL TUTTON

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